Motion Activated Faith

Motion Activated Faith:
When the Light Comes On as You Move

Last week, I shared how sometimes we have to say no—even to beautiful things—and choose stillness. This week, I was reminded that just as stillness has its place, motion also has its purpose.

I was in a hotel room, wrapped in stillness. It was late, the room was dark, and I was exhausted. I had to go to the bathroom, but before I could touch anything, something happened.

As soon as my feet touched the floor, a small light clicked on and lit a path to the bathroom.

The light didn’t appear until I moved.

I’ve also been in an office before, working quietly, when suddenly the lights go out. Not because the power failed, but because I had been still too long. The motion sensor didn’t detect me, so it shut the lights off. My natural reaction? I started waving my hands in the air—just to get the light to come back on.

This is my handwritten note in my Bible, I want to remind myself not to be just a dreamer but to walk the walk!

That moment made me think about life, dreams, and these scriptures:

“Hard work always pays off; mere talk puts no bread on the table.” — Proverbs 14:23

“So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective].” — James 2:17

Dreaming alone is not enough. An imperfect plan in motion is worth more than a perfect plan collecting dust. Don’t wait for perfect—move, and the light will follow. Perfectionism will keep the lights off. Movement activates them.

These scriptures remind us that our faith should activate actions. I think about a note I wrote to myself beside one that spoke about the danger of interim—being someone who just talks about dreams but never follows through. I wrote, “This is not me!!!”

Sunday’s sermon, the preacher reminded us that Jesus didn’t wait until the disciples were perfect before he called them. Likewise, if we wait for perfect conditions, we will never get things done.

This past week, my body and spirit were still—not because I was storing up energy for the next big thing, but because I am already worthy of rest. We all are. We don’t rest just so we can be “productive” later. We rest because God calls us worthy, period.

In that stillness, I received so much: fresh ideas, spiritual downloads, clarity. I wouldn’t have received it otherwise. But when I began to write, speak, or take action on what I’d received, it was like that motion-activated light—things illuminated in ways they couldn’t before.

Rest.

Receive.

Then move.

The light won’t come on until you do.

Activating,

Sheila P Spencer