The Right Words, Unlikely Sources, and Random Places

Searching for the right words can be difficult.  We have all been there when an opportunity pops up and we scramble for words that are hopefully helpful.  Some of us have power in few words while some of us have an abundance of words.  But one thing is sure, every day we communicate through words and we hope they resonate, provide good counsel, and help the cause!  In short, we want our words to matter.

Part of being a college student was finding words; mainly in the form of lengthy research papers.  From the moment the project was announced it seemed like a ton of work.  There were page requirements, resource requirements, productivity requirements, and who knows what else.  It just seemed like a lot of work, words, and late nights.  I can remember the look on students’ eyes, and the feeling I had in my stomach, when I heard the sheer volume of work we would have to put into a paper.  The due date was weeks away which seemed like a long time to have an assignment hang over our heads.  It didn’t seem like research as much as a penalty to spend every night in the library.

What I found was that if I spent some time reading and researching I could whip up many pages of writing if I did one crucial thing:  go for a bike ride.  Now this might seem pretty unconventional and maybe even like I was delaying the inevitable hours of pecking at a keyboard.  Or maybe I was just procrastinating being a student.  But the process of reading and then organizing my thoughts and facts in my head through some strategic “pounding of the pedals” made my paper-writing flow and become an efficient exercise.  When I pedaled my mind moved and research papers were structured.  I can’t tell you how many papers I wrote in my mind while I pedaled.  Some can stare at a computer monitor in silence and pound out meaningful words but it didn’t work for me;  I needed to “prime the pump” with some endorphins, exercise, and think time.  It worked too; I graduated with a decent grade point average!

Now you may hear this and think it’s weird.  Odd.  Maybe you just can’t relate because you hate riding a bike!  But the important lesson here is that an experience can help frame facts, bring clarity, provide a bit of peace to the situation, and prepare for the next thing.  I just happened to ride a bike around a town called Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania to prove this!

A few weeks ago A friend was having a tough time.  I’d even say a tough season of life.  I had the phone in my hand, ready to text some words of encouragement because he was on my mind.  It wasn’t a light situation; my words had to resonate, matter, and console.  The problem was that my mind was empty.  There wasn’t much up there to come out through my fingers that seemed timely and appropriate!  Pithy catch phrases and generic pick me ups came to mind but they seemed less than ideal.  Remember, we want to have meaningful words!

So I put on my running shoes and started down the road like I’ve done a few times before.   On this day I donned some earbuds, put some songs on shuffle, and attempted to open my eyes, ears, and mind to whatever God was saying.  I have found that God speaks many, many ways but if I put my legs into motion and my heart into worship that I always gain some clarity.  It’s not all that different than preparing to write a research paper.

Now you may think that in order to hear God you can only listen to Christian music or that a deep, booming voice will announce a grand plan.  Maybe some miracle will happen and you will instantly have a life of ease and all your prayers will be answered.  Maybe you have more questions than anything and doubt that God will say anything.  The truth is that we need to develop a relationship with God and experience Him, in whatever way He chooses to communicate with us.  There’s not a template or method other than seeking.  Sometimes we have to keep pedaling.  Or running.  Or just living.

On this particular run Eddy Vedder, Matthew West, and a band called the Lemonheads were the carriers of God’s encounter with me.

Now that’s an interesting mix of people!  But three songs played on my playlist and the chorus’ all added up to a statement that I needed to hear.  And share.  And only one of these artists would be known as a Christian artist; but when God frames a message it’s not how it’s delivered, it’s that it’s delivered in the first place!  I was running but also in a place where I could recognize the words that needed to be taken in and reflected on.

So while I’m running down the road, sweating and working hard, with songs rumbling in the background I hear:

Song number one brought the lyrics “I’m still Alive.”

Song number two produced “I know I’m not strong enough to be everything that I’m supposed to be.”

And song number three wrapped it up with “I know I place I can go, into your Arms, Into Your Arms.”

Three lyrics from three very different artists with three different backgrounds and yet they add up to be exactly what I needed to hear on this day, both for me and the friend I was thinking about.  And it’s true!  God can use anyone, and anything, in our world today to frame a message to us that shows his love for us.  In between wailing guitar solos and my footsteps produced a timely word.

I love that I can run and ride and God teaches while I do something I thoroughly enjoy.  It’s a healthy, personal, relationship.  That’s not to say that I don’t struggle with the lessons learned from the road!  I can hear, sense, and know it’s the real deal but applying it is the faith building part.  Pedaling takes practice.  Running takes work.  Faith is much the same.

My hope is that you have these God encounters and that you recognize them and hold on to them.  It’s not always how or where…it’s that HE DOES!  You may be running.  Or driving.  Or sitting behind a computer.  You may read something, hear something, or have some random 1990’s rock bands have their lyrics tweaked to meet the days’ needs.  Further, it’s these words, these meaningful moments, these one-on-ones with God that can, and will, shape the world we live in.  God uses imperfect people like you and I to carry messages to other imperfect people, but we need to get those messages not just from a trusted source, but from the original source!  Having those pivotal moments with God, whether it’s running with Him or just sitting, frames a personal message in way that you can understand and share.  Our relationship with God should create the culture around us rather than the other way around.   Keep listening!