Walking is great exercise! It relieves stress, strengthens your body and, especially when accompanied by a friend, is enjoyable. Walking with a companion makes ‘the walk’ less tiresome.
I love how God’s Word uses every day experiences, like walking, to illustrate spiritual concepts. Proverbs 13:20 advises, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”
The scripture says that we should be careful about friends we choose to walk with. Proverbs 12:26 The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. Proverbs 22:24–25 Don’t befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.
When I walk with a friend, my life is influenced by my friend; whether I realize it or not. If I choose to walk with a person who is not in Christ, that ungodly influence can affect my relationship with my Lord.
When my friend and I are walking with the Spirit, we encourage each other in our walk with Christ. Walking with a friend gives me encouragement to continue walking even when the path is difficult.
Just as I choose a companion to walk with for exercise, I need to choose to walk daily with God’s Spirit. Serving God and living the Christ life are daily choices. Like walking with a friend, walking with the Spirit gives me encouragement to keep on walking when the path is rough.
Galatians 5:16-17 says, “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”