A Walk in the Woods

I used to love to spend time in the woods as a kid. I would often find myself among the trees when everything seemed out of control in my life. You see I had many struggles growing up and the one place I felt safe and could forget about life for a while was in the ten acres behind my house. I had this spot I loved to sit deep into the brush. There were a couple of large trees that had fallen on to each other, and once I was sitting on top of them, I could see the creek and the clearing.

I would go there to try and work things out in my head. I contemplated ways that I could change my situation. Many times I went back home without any solutions or answers to my troubles. That all changed after I met Christ and received a piece of advice from my grandmother. You see, I was always trying to achieve peace and happiness through my actions and trying to be good enough. But I was unknowingly fighting a losing battle.

I will never forget the day I became a believer in Jesus. I experienced a joy that I still can’t put into words over thirty years later. I felt the weight of the world lifted from my shoulders, and I had a peace that I had never had before. But just like anything, it faded and got buried under all the stuff of a life lived here in this crazy world.

One day my grandmother pulled me to the side and challenged me to take a walk in the woods. She handed me a piece of paper with a simple verse on it. It said, “Be still and know I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) So I went to my spot, climbed up on top of that large oak tree and took a deep breath. It was at that moment that I gave all my cares to the Lord. It was as if the world stopped spinning, and all I could do was take in the sights and sounds that surrounded me. The smells of the forest in fall were in the air; the running water of the creek could be heard in the distance along with the squirrels rustling through the leaves on the ground. The sun was shining through the canopy hitting me in the face with its warmth and comfort.

From that moment to today, I still take a walk in the woods. I can do this in my car, at work or just when I wake in the morning. I stop and take a deep breath thanking God for all He is doing all around me and lay all my cares at His feet. I am intentional about taking the time to be still and know that He is God and is in control, and I just need to trust that fact. If I’m honest, I have taken more “walks in the woods” in the last few months than I have in years. But it has helped me so much. What about you? When was the last time you took the time to be still and surrender all your cares and troubles to the Lord? I challenge you to give it a try.