Walking with Jesus: Finding Peace in Life's Confusion

In a world filled with uncertainty and chaos, many of us find ourselves walking down lonely roads, feeling disconnected from God despite having a relationship with Him. The story of two disciples walking to Emmaus after Jesus' crucifixion offers profound insights into what it means to truly walk with Jesus and experience His presence in our daily lives.

When Disciples Doubt

The two disciples in Luke 24:13-32 weren't strangers to Jesus. They had walked with Him, witnessed His miracles, and experienced His love firsthand. Yet after the crucifixion, we find them walking away from Jerusalem, confused and discouraged. "'The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel'" - Luke 24:19-21.

Even committed followers of Christ sometimes find themselves questioning. You might have said things like: "Lord, why have you left me?" or "I can't hear you anymore" or "I can't feel you anymore." This is more common than we'd like to admit. Despite having seen God work in our lives and in the lives of others, we sometimes walk away feeling like we don't know where He is.

Why Do We Feel Separated from God?

When we find ourselves walking alone on these metaphorical roads to Emmaus, we need to examine our relationship with God. The only thing that truly separates us from God is sin. God cannot cohabitate with sin, so when we choose to walk in disobedience, we create distance between ourselves and our Heavenly Father.

God's promise remains constant: "'I will never leave you nor forsake you'" - Hebrews 13:5. But this promise comes with the condition that we keep His commandments. When we feel alone, it's often because we've chosen a path that leads away from Him, not because He has abandoned us.

Jesus Seeks Us Out

The beautiful truth in this story is that Jesus found these discouraged disciples. "'While they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them'" - Luke 24:15. He didn't wait for them to find their way back; He pursued them in their confusion and doubt.

Jesus desires to walk with us every single day. Just as God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening before sin entered the world, His original design was for intimate fellowship with His creation. When you wake up each morning, God is excited to spend time with you. The question is: are you equally excited to spend time with Him?

What Does Walking with Jesus Look Like?

Walking with Jesus isn't just about formal prayer time or church attendance, though these are important. It's about ongoing conversation throughout your day. It's about including Him in your decisions, your struggles, and your joys. It's about developing the kind of relationship where you can recognize His voice when He speaks.

"'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me'" - John 10:27. But how can you know His voice if you don't spend time with Him? Just as you can't build a meaningful relationship through text messages alone, you can't build a relationship with Jesus through surface-level interactions.

Three Benefits of Walking with Jesus

1. Walking with Jesus Brings Comfort and Peace

There's nothing like the peace that comes from knowing God. This isn't peace that depends on your financial situation, your health, or your circumstances. It's peace that "'surpasses all understanding'" - Philippians 4:7. This peace comes from knowing that you have a relationship with Christ and that He abides in you.

The only guarantee in this life is the love of God. Everything else - your job, your health, your finances, even your relationships - can change. But God's love remains constant, and that's where true peace is found.

2. Walking with Jesus Brings Understanding in Chaos

When the disciples were confused about recent events, Jesus "'beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself'" - Luke 24:27. Instead of panicking in chaotic situations, try this: go for a walk and talk to Jesus. Spend half the time talking to Him about your concerns, and the other half just listening.

Many times, while we're panicking and running around trying to fix things ourselves, Jesus is trying to give us the answer. But we can't hear Him because we're too busy worrying and talking instead of listening.

3. Walking with Jesus Restores Relationships

The relationship between these disciples and Jesus had been strained. They were walking away from Him, confused and discouraged. But when Jesus caught up with them and began walking alongside them, that relationship was restored.

We often want a relationship with Jesus only when it's convenient for us. We put Him "on the shelf" when things are going well, then come back to Him when we need help. But Jesus desires to be with us 24/7, not just during our crisis moments.

Don't Go Where You Can't Take Jesus

Here's practical advice for your daily walk: Don't go anywhere you can't take Jesus with you. If you're somewhere and you know He wouldn't want to be there, why are you there? When we choose to go places or do things that are sinful, we're essentially telling Jesus to step out of the boat while we row the rest of the way on our own.

Jesus wants to be with you, doing His Father's business. He wants to walk through every part of your day with you, but He won't accompany you into sin.

The Choice Is Yours

In Luke 24:28-29, we read: "'Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, 'Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.' And He went in to stay with them.'"

Jesus indicated He would have gone further - He was giving them a choice. He wanted to stay, but only if they wanted Him there. The same is true for you today. Jesus is asking: "Do you want me here? I'll stay if you want me to, but it's up to you."

Life Application

This week, commit to truly walking with Jesus daily. Instead of just having fo

rmal prayer time, try taking actual walks where you talk to Him about your concerns, your joys, and your decisions. Spend time listening, not just talking. Include Him in every part of your day, and don't go anywhere you wouldn't want Him to go with you.

Ask yourself these questions:

• How long has it been since I've had a real conversation with Jesus?

• Am I trying to handle my problems on my own instead of walking through them with Him?

• What areas of my life am I keeping separate from my relationship with Christ?

• Am I giving Jesus the choice to stay and be involved in my daily life, or am I putting Him on a shelf until I need Him?

Remember, Jesus has already won every battle you're facing. The question isn't whether victory is possible - it's whether you'll accept it and walk with Him to claim the territory He's already made available to you.