God doesn’t meet us in striving. He meets us in the stillness

Silence creates room for transformation, says Joshua Luke Smith

Last summer, I discovered a love for running. Don’t worry – this isn’t an evangelistic pitch to get you hitting the pavement. But stick with me; we’re going somewhere.

I’d run before, even completed a marathon, but a conversation with my friend Bianca changed everything. She told me she’d started running, and I asked, somewhat predictably: “How far? How fast?” She smiled and said: “I have no idea.” She didn’t track anything. She just ran, slowly, listening to her body and for the joy of it. “Running slow helps you run further – and, eventually, faster,” she said.