Soul Care in Tough Times: Pace With God

"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend." - Albert Camus

These past few years have been a continuous lesson on not having the answers. That level of unknown is tough on the soul. I’ll never forget the feelings of worry, anxiety and fear that I felt at the beginning of this pandemic. My brain would work overtime on questions: Should I wipe down my groceries? Was the virus air borne? What kind of mask would protect me? Was I going to get my loved ones sick? Would there really be an end in sight?

And it would be in these moments of swirling questions and worry that I would hear a familiar voice reminding me of a simple truth: Pace with me.

I don’t know anything about running, though I do have friends who like to run marathons! But the idea of pacing with God has been profound for me. Keeping pace with God means that I stop trying to run ahead and scout for potholes in the road and I don’t lag behind trying to protect my loved ones. No, instead it takes an act of faith to simply pace with God.

"Don’t rush ahead. Don’t lag behind. Don’t try to check every single alley way, but just pace with me", God says. These reminders will come to me and still me in my frenzied tracks. "Pace with me, Tiffany. Pace with me.".

It requires that we stop and listen.

Wait for God.

Still our anxious minds.

And walk with that safe, confident and sure Presence that knows the way.

We were not created to navigate this life or this world on our own. We were created to walk with God. And in this crazy world, it should bring peace knowing that though we might have no idea what direction we are headed or what turns we will face, we will not face these unknowns alone, but with our more than capable partner right beside us. God is walking with us.