Let Grace Set the Pace

Blog by Alan Fadling

For more than forty years of ministry, Gem and I have been learning to weave rhythms of work and rest into our lives. These habits have been like a tree planted long ago, still bearing fruit today.

Sabbaticals, weekly Sabbath, shared meals, daily times of prayer and reflection—these practices are not quick fixes. They are ways of learning to let grace set the pace. They are about listening for the Spirit’s gentle rhythm in the midst of all the pressures of leadership.

Evelyn Underhill once said:

“Only a spirituality which puts the whole emphasis on the Reality of God—perpetually turning to Him, losing itself in Him, refusing to allow even the most pressing work or practical problems… to distract from God—only this is a safe foundation for spiritual work.”*

This is not about adding more rules or hacks. It is about abiding. Eugene Peterson said it well:

“The world does not need more of you; it needs more of God… And you don’t need more of you; you need more of God.” †

So perhaps the invitation is simply this: slow down enough to notice whether you are being driven or being led. Let that question return you to Jesus, who said, “My yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Reflection Questions

• What is one small, simple practice of rest you might embrace this week?
• How do you sense God inviting you to simplify rather than complicate your leadership life?
• What would it look like for grace—not hurry—to set the pace of your work?

Footnotes:

*Evelyn Underhill. Concerning the Inner Life. New York: E. P. Dutton & Company, 1926, p. 24.

†Eugene Peterson. Subversive Spirituality. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994, 1997. p. 30.