<\/p>\n
I\u2019m going through a tough season in my life right now, and while I normally love walking as a form of exercise, I took a far-too-extensive break. But recently, I started walking again, and I\u2019ve noticed some tremendous spiritual benefits I\u2019m gaining from my daily walk that help me grow closer to God in my journey as a Christian.<\/p>\n
The very fact that I consistently get up\u2014even when I don\u2019t feel like it\u2014put on athletic clothes, lace up my sneakers, and head outside for a walk is a display of self-discipline. It\u2019s not always comfortable when I walk. I live in South Carolina, and our temperatures are all over the place. Some days it\u2019s bitter cold, some days it\u2019s raining, and some days it\u2019s so hot and muggy you feel like you could slice the air with a knife. But making time to push myself through the discomfort to do something that I know is good for me exhibits self-control and self-discipline.<\/p>\n
There are days I don\u2019t feel like reading my Bible and praying, but I know it\u2019s important to do it. There are Sundays I don\u2019t feel like waking up early, going to church, and talking to a bunch of people (especially on my more introverted days), but I know I should, so I do.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Likewise, walking is a step outside of my comfort zone. Sometimes I\u2019m exhausted or in a really bad mood, and I really don\u2019t want to. But when I push myself and do it anyway, that\u2019s a cause for celebration.<\/p>\n
Proverbs 25:28 tells us, \u201cLike a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
And 2 Timothy 1:7 says, \u201cFor the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.\u201d<\/p>\n
I want to have self-control and self-discipline, and walking helps me in this area.<\/p>\n
While my soul is the eternal part of me, God gave me this body as a gift. He gave me certain abilities, certain weaknesses, certain beautiful things, and certain things I\u2019d love to change. For example, I wish I didn\u2019t have major food allergies. I wish I were gifted with the ability to run without triggering asthma.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But when I take care of my body by walking and doing other daily things that are good for me, I am honoring God and the gift He gave me. Just like getting enough sleep at night, eating healthy food, and drinking enough water, getting outside to walk is really good for my body. It\u2019s helpful to my lungs and heart, and it helps me breathe better. It works muscles I\u2019m not even aware of. It\u2019s good for my mental health, and the fresh air and daylight I\u2019m basking in is good for me, too.<\/p>\n
The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, \u201cDo you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some people walk with others, but I typically walk alone. When I do, I enjoy quality time with God. Even if I\u2019m not actively talking to Him, I\u2019m thinking about Him. I am calm in His presence and perhaps marveling at the ways He\u2019s created this world. I\u2019m noticing trees and blooming flowers, all designed by Him. I\u2019m noticing other houses and buildings that were crafted with human labor and skills\u2014gifts God gave those people. I\u2019m taking a moment in time that\u2019s outside of all the doing to focus on just being.<\/p>\n
As God commands us in Psalm 46:10, \u201cBe still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.\u201d<\/p>\n
Usually when I walk, I listen for a little while to a couple of Christian songs, and their words permeate my heart. It becomes a form of worship. Sometimes I even sing a little bit as I go.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If I walk in silence, I often find my mind naturally jumps to things of the spiritual realm, and that is also a form of worship as I draw closer to the Lord.<\/p>\n
At times, I listen to audiobooks, both fiction and nonfiction, which are good for my soul and my brain.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m a writer by profession, and most days, I use the Notes app on my phone and reflect via voice text, whether it\u2019s a blog or a commentary or a piece of fiction I\u2019m writing. While I have to sift through a lot of autocorrect typos, it\u2019s good for my expressive spirit. The act of walking releases that expressiveness \u2013 all the longing of things I feel I must get out of my brain and share with others. This in turn uses the gifts God has given me\u2014also a form of worship.<\/p>\n
In Joshua 1:8, we\u2019re told, \u201cKeep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Walking helps me do that.<\/p>\n
Sometimes I get in a prayer rut. I pray, but I feel a bit of a disconnect on my end. Maybe I\u2019m busy or sad or distracted or uninspired for whatever reason. Maybe that particular day, God is feeling far away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Instead of praying in my bed or as I drive or as I read the Bible, praying when I walk is a change that can stir my soul and liberate my spirit. The rhythmic pound of my feet upon the pavement, and the endorphins that are released as my body moves along the path somehow break thoughts free that I didn\u2019t know were inside my head.\u00a0<\/p>\n
I bring them to the Lord in prayer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cPray continually,\u201d we\u2019re told in 1 Thessalonians 5:17.<\/p>\n
Walking is fun! It doesn\u2019t always feel that way at the start, and even partway through, but when I return I usually find I\u2019m smiling\u2014and not just because the walk is over. It makes me feel good and makes me nicer and kinder. It makes me more inclined to laugh and enjoy life.\u00a0<\/p>\n
God does not intend for us to be miserable. Walking unleashes joy within me, and that\u2019s a good thing.<\/p>\n
As Romans 15:13 says, \u201cMay the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n
If you are seeking a way to draw closer to the Lord or grow in self-discipline, prayer, obedience, or another area, consider any of these six benefits as encouragement as you consider a daily walk practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
More from this author<\/strong> Photo credit: \u00a9Unsplash\/Sven Vee<\/span><\/p>\n <\/strong>Jessica Brodie<\/strong> is an award-winning Christian novelist, journalist, editor, blogger, and writing coach. She is also the editor of the South Carolina United Methodist Advocate, the oldest newspaper in Methodism. Her Christian contemporary novel, The Memory Garden, released this spring and has been in the top ten Christian women\u2019s fiction and Christian contemporary books on Amazon; book two in the series releases this fall. Learn more about Jessica\u2019s writing ministry and read her faith blog at\u00a0https:\/\/jessicabrodie.com. She has a\u00a0YouTube devotional, and you can also connect with her on\u00a0Facebook, Instagram, and more. She\u2019s also produced a free eBook,\u00a0A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When You\u2019re Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Originally published July 31, 2025.<\/p>\n
Psalms to Help You Cry for Help to Our Sovereign God
How to Be the Person God Needs You to Be
7 Prayers for When You\u2019re Feeling Discontent<\/p>\n