I think running away is exactly what my horse wanted to do today.
I had left him tied at the trailer while I went to pay my fees. When I came back, he was gone.
For a moment, panic hit me.
Then I stopped and reminded myself that we were in a pretty safe place. I went looking for him, and eventually, I found him.
There he was—peacefully eating grass as though nothing had happened.
When I walked toward him, he came right up to me.
As I stood there looking at him, I realized something: I could relate to him.
Sometimes, I want to run away too.
Maybe it’s fear.
Maybe it’s anger.
Maybe I’m simply burned out.
There are moments when the pressure feels like too much, and I just want to escape.
I think most of us experience that feeling from time to time.
Maybe you’ve been working toward something for a long time and aren’t seeing the results you hoped for.
Maybe the pressure keeps building.
Maybe disappointment has worn you down.
Eventually, you start thinking, Maybe I should just quit. Maybe I should run away.
Where Do We Run?
The problem is that when we run away, we often run toward the comforts of this world.
We return to old patterns or habits that were never good for us. Maybe we reach for something to numb the pain. Maybe we have a drink. Maybe we blow off steam. Maybe we distract ourselves so we don’t have to deal with what we’re feeling.
But does any of that really solve the problem?
Probably not.
Eventually, we find ourselves right back where we started.
God offers us another choice.
Instead of running away, He invites us to run to Him.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
I love the picture Psalm 23 gives us of God as our Shepherd. He leads us to places of rest. He restores us. He guides us along the right path. Even when we walk through dark valleys, we don't have to be afraid because He is with us.
That is the God we can run to.
He isn't waiting for us to have everything figured out. He is inviting us to come to Him so He can give us what we need.
Seeking God's Wisdom
Lately, I've also been reflecting on Proverbs.
Many people love the book of Proverbs, but I tend to gravitate toward the stories found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Still, Proverbs contains such profound wisdom.
Much of Proverbs is associated with King Solomon, a man whom God blessed with extraordinary wisdom.
Proverbs 2:1–6 teaches us to receive God's words, treasure His commands, listen for wisdom, and seek understanding. It even tells us to search for wisdom as though we were searching for silver or hidden treasure.
Then comes this powerful truth:
“For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
— Proverbs 2:6
Think about that.
God is telling us to turn our ears toward wisdom and apply our hearts to understanding.
Not simply worldly understanding.
Godly understanding.
The kind that comes from a relationship with Him. The kind that comes when we allow His Word and the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and minds.
What really challenges me is the comparison to searching for hidden treasure.
If someone told you there was a million dollars buried somewhere on your property, how hard would you search for it?
Would you casually look around for a few minutes and give up?
Probably not!
You would dig. You would search. You would keep looking until you found it.
So I have to ask myself: Am I seeking God's wisdom with that same intensity?
If I truly want to live according to His will, am I seeking His direction like hidden treasure?
Don't Run Before You Ask
How often do we try to figure everything out ourselves?
Something becomes difficult, and our first instinct is to run.
But God is saying, Turn to Me.
The Greater One lives within you.
God can give you wisdom.
He can give you knowledge.
He can give you understanding.
And He can give you rest.
Proverbs 3:5–6 reminds us: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
So, if you're in a season where you feel like I sometimes do—ready to run away, jump ship, quit, or abandon the dream—stop and ask yourself:
Have I sought God's wisdom about this?
What does God want me to know?
What does He want me to do?
Have I actually asked Him before deciding to run?
He created you.
He knows you.
He knows what He placed inside you.
He knows the purpose He has for your life, and He sees things you cannot see.
Talk to Him.
Ask Him.
Seek His wisdom.
Before You Run, Turn to God
Sometimes I think about this from the perspective of a parent.
We can watch our children make the same mistake over and over. We desperately want to give them wisdom because we can see what they can't yet see. But sometimes, they aren't ready to receive it.
So we watch them struggle through something we wish we could help them avoid.
I wonder how many times God has watched me do the same thing.
I'm trying to figure it out.
I'm worrying.
I'm getting frustrated.
I'm contemplating quitting.
I'm ready to run.
And all the while, God is saying, Come to Me. Ask Me. Let Me show you.
God doesn't want us constantly running in circles trying to figure life out on our own. He wants us to walk with Him in the purpose He created us for.
So before you run away from the situation…
Before you quit the dream…
Before you walk away because you're tired…
Before you return to something that God already delivered you from…
Run to Him.
Turn your heart toward God.
Seek His knowledge.
Seek His wisdom.
Seek His direction.
And then trust Him enough to follow where He leads.
Maybe my horse had the right idea in one sense. He ran until he found a peaceful place to rest.
Maybe that's what our hearts are searching for too.
But our true place of rest isn't found by running away.
It's found by running to God.