Changing Your Spiritual Shoes

Changing your shoes as a runner is important. Your shoes are the foundation of your running gear. When your shoes are no longer giving your joints the support they need, you are prone to injury. Plus, it just hurts.

As a general rule of thumb, runners are supposed to change their shoes every 300 to 400 miles. That's annoying. Why? Not only is it expensive, but I get attached to my shoes. I remember my first pair of running shoes...

They were my first pair of the Nike Air Pegasus. (A sidenote...to this day, the only shoe I will run in!) They were my first pair of shoes to purchase as a runner. I was no longer a mid-fielder who ran because I had to do it on the soccer field. I ran because I was training for a race.

They were light pink and white (which at the time matched over half of my running wardrobe.) They had great stability, and they were so light, I felt like I was barefoot when I lifted my foot. The perfect running shoes.

I had so many memories in those shoes - my first long run, my first 5K in under 19 minutes, my first half-marathon. The best by far - taking my new friend and running buddy, Megan, to buy the same pair of shoes. We began running together everyday. Before long, we were inseperable. To this day, she is my best friend.

Some of the memories in the shoes weren't as great. My first hill-training runs where I thought I was going to die instantly. Forgetting my water bottle on a long run in the summer...outside. Neatly collapsing on the treadmill because I hadn't eaten enough that day, and I still pushed too hard.

But I will never forget the day when I put on my favorite shoes, took off on my run, and realized the pounding on the pavement hurt more than usual. My joints didn't feel protected. I had no support. It was putting too much stress on my foot. Shoes are supposed to take some of the stress off of you as a runner. But I was now relying on myself.

Do you ever do that in your Christian life? God tells you to serve somewhere. Somewhat reluctantly, you respond with obedience. You're unsure of what you're doing at first - maybe even scared. Eventually, though, you fall into a groove. You get comfortable in your leadership role. Eventually, you don't really even think about what you're doing. You can do this on auto-pilot.

But then...all of the sudden...God asks you to do something else. He asks you to change out of your comfortable, broken-in shoes and wear a new pair.

That was how music was for me.

My dad is a Minister of Music. My mom is an elementary music teacher. I was destined to be a musician before I was born.

My mom started teaching me on the xylophone when I was 2. At 4, I began piano lessons. When I turned 5, violin was added to the mix. Flute lessons started at age 7. At age 10, I finally found my niche - voice lessons.

Naturally, when God called me into the ministry in the 8th grade, I assumed He meant music. What else could He have possively meant?

So I went throughout high school assuming that I would go into some kind of music ministry - like my dad. I sang in his choir at church. I helped lead worship in the youth group. I sang solos. I even co-directed children's choir throughout college.

The time came to choose a college. I auditioned for a vocal performance scholarship to Belmont University in Nashville - and GOT IT! I visited the campus, got excited on my journey "for the Lord," and went about making my plans.

One month shy of graduation, I heard God's voice:

Michelle, were you going to clue Me in on any of this before you starting planning? Maybe ask My opinion?

But, God. All I've done to serve You my whole life is music. Everything I've done to prepare is musically. What else could you possibly want to do with me? I'm ready!

Write.

Write? But that's like...my secret passion. I know I finished my first book in the 1st grade. I know I have two desks on my room - one faced the wall so I wouldn't get distracted while doing homework. The other faced the window, so I could people-watch and get ideas for the characters in my stories. But I never let anyone read my thoughts. That's pretty personal, God. I don't know if I'm comfortable with that.

Michelle, write.

But what about my scholarship?

Write.

With that, I walked away from a full ride to Belmont, and walked into The University of Tennessee where I could pursue a degree in communications with an emphasis in journalism. I was so scared, and I felt completely out of my comfort zone - like in new shoes that I'm trying to figure out.

While I had been writing my whole life, there was something intimidating about walking into a classroom full of former high school newspaper editor-in-chiefs. I felt like the new kid. Just like I want the comfort of my broken-in shoes, I longed to walk into the UT Chorale and sight-sing my way to an A.

Eventually, I got into a groove. Once I let my classmates read my academic writing, I started letting friends read my personal writing. They told me God was using my devotions to help them grow spiritually. With that, I was hooked.

Now, I'm a seminary student, and I work as a writer in my school's office of communications.

I still sing in the praise team at church - except now, that feels like the new shoes. I am more nervous leading worship now that I ever was as a kid. I spend more time writing than singing, so now, I really rely on God when I am up there, instead of relying on my own ability.

The point is - God won't let you stay in your old shoes. If you are not relying on Him, be prepared for him to remove you from your comfort zone and put you somewhere where He is the one to recieve glory.

Galations 2:20 says:

My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

New shoes are scary. I react the same way each time I get a new pair of running shoes. I wear my shoes loyally until the first last possible mile. Reluctantly, I head to the store to get a new pair, convinced that no shoe will ever be like the old ones I just gave up.

But I step in a pair, feel the increased support from the worn out pair I just had on, and I sigh a sigh of relief. They feel good.

God is the support that's missing in your old shoes. If you ask Him to put you out of your comfort zone and in line with His will...just get ready. But He will be there every step of the way.