Enoch is the first person man in the Bible said to walk with God, and as such, he is possibly the most common example used to illustrate the concept. According the Scripture, “Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him” (Genesis 5:22–24). The gist of this passage is that Enoch was in close community with God throughout all the years of his life, so much so that God took him away to Paradise at the end of his days. While this passage does not suggest that anyone who walks with God will be taken to Heaven without seeing death, it does imply that walking with God opens up the pathway there. [2] X Research source
Think again about what it’s like to walk with a friend. If your friend spent the entire time on his or her cell phone rather than interacting with you, the walk would not be very enjoyable, and you wouldn’t actually be walking “together” on a meaningful level. Similarly, the distractions you focus on instead of focusing on God can prevent you from really walking together with God. Sins that you cling to create an obvious distraction, but they are not the only things you need to watch out for. Even things that can be beneficial can become harmful distractions if you are not careful. For instance, working hard and earning money to support your family is a good thing. If you become obsessed with work and money to the point of neglecting your family and neglecting your relationship with God, though, you have then allowed it to become a distraction.
Since God will never call someone to do something that defies Scripture, having a thorough understanding of what the Bible says can help guide you away from harmful missteps.
Think again about how you behave when walking with a friend. You may walk in silence sometimes, but oftentimes, the two of you talk, laugh, and cry together. Prayer is what allows the believer to talk, laugh, and cry together with God.
Modern day meditation usually involves deep breathing exercises, mantras, and exercises meant to clear the mind. While these practices alone do not quite hold the same meaning as spiritual meditation, many believers still find that they are a good way to clear the mind of distractions so that one can focus more fully on God. If standard meditation practices do not work well for you, though, simply do whatever you can to escape from worldly distractions and spend time thinking about God. Listen to music, take a walk in a nearby park, and so on.
Consider the story of Isaac and Rebekah. Abraham’s servant went to look for a bride among Abraham’s relatives in his homeland. God brought Abraham’s servant to a well, and while the servant was praying for the right girl to arrive, Rebekah comes and offers him and his camels a drink—a chosen sign. The meeting was too important to merely be a coincidence. Instead, providence brought Rebekah to the well at just the right time and guided her to perform just the right actions. (Genesis 24:15-20)
Take the time to sit down and reflect on your walk thus far. Think about times in your life when you felt “in harmony” with God. Those days were likely days on which you were walking with God. Then, think about times when you felt lost, directionless, or distant from God. Ask yourself if you were doing things that pushed God away during that time, even if those things were as simple as not making time for prayer, church, or meditation. Those days may have been days on which you paused or took a wrong turn in your walk. Seek to model the behaviors you followed during the times you’ve walked with God in the past, and actively try to avoid the behaviors that previously led you astray.
Part of this process means obeying God’s commandments regarding moral behavior. While some view these instructions as being restrictive, ultimately, they are meant to keep humanity safe and spiritually connected to God. The other significant aspect of following God’s commands involves following God’s command to love—to love God, to love one’s neighbors, and even to love oneself. Model your life after the love God has shown and continues to show for humanity.
Children rely on their caretakers to guide them along safe, positive paths. They may think they know all the answers, but inevitably, the time will come when they realize that they should have listened to guidance offered by their parents, grandparents, etc. , instead of stubbornly getting themselves into trouble or danger. In the same way, believers ultimately rely on the Holy Spirit to guide them along paths that are spiritually positive.
Ultimately, God will guide you to the place you are supposed to be at the time you are supposed to arrive. You might be in a rush to get there, but if you want to walk with God, you must trust that God’s chosen time of arrival is better than yours when the two disagree.
Other believers can also help keep you accountable to the commitment you have made to walk with God. Keep in mind that God often uses the people in one’s life to guide your steps.
