Divine Pace

"Be still, and know that I am God."

– Psalm 46:10

Last week we talked aboutLife Rhythms—the daily disciplines that shape who we become. This week I want to build on that with something just as important for leaders: Divine Pace.

Pace is defined as the speed at which someone or something moves, or with which something happens or changes: Rate of movement or rate of progress.

I’m just returning from a wonderful weekend at our family farm celebrating my 58th birthday with friends—fishing, bird hunting, enjoying long dinners, and great conversations around the fire pit. Slowing the pace was refreshing for my soul. God created Sabbath for a reason and He surely knew what He was doing.

For much of my early career, I equated speed with productivity. I admired fast-paced, high-capacity leaders and learned to operate at an intense tempo. There is something exhilarating about moving quickly and getting a lot done. But over time, I discovered something important: Fast is not always fruitful. Over a decade ago when I was in my mid-forties I realized I was running at an unsustainable pace and came close to burnout. I took a six-week sabbatical that helped reset my life. Since then, I’ve been intentionally seeking what I call aDivine Pace—not slow for the sake of slow, but more aligned with the Holy Spirit and those around me.

As leaders in business and ministry, pace matters. It impacts our health, our marriages, our teams, and ultimately our witness.

The following are a few key principles on Divine Pace:

• Hurry can be the Enemy of Love and Leadership: Hurry and love are often not compatible. When I am rushed, I am rarely patient. When I am behind, I am rarely kind. And yet Scripture tells us: “Love is patient, love is kind.”–1 Corinthians 13:4 Jesus never seemed frantic or hurried, but He was always purposeful. He walked at the pace of His Father. Most of our worst leadership moments happen when we are in a hurry—late, overloaded, distracted. Hurry produces frustration. Divine pace produces presence. As leaders, our families and teams don’t need a hurried version of us, they need a healthy, present one.

• Sabbath Resets Our Trust: Divine pace is rooted in trust. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart… and He will make your paths straight.” –Proverbs 3:5–6 Sabbath is more than a day off—it is a declaration of faith. It says,“God, You are the provider. I am not.” When we stop working, we are not falling behind—we are demonstrating trust. Jesus said: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
  –Mark 2:27 Leaders who never stop eventually break. But leaders who rest in God lead from strength, not striving. Sabbath creates margin and margin protects mission.

• Pruning Protects Our Pace: As driven leaders, we tend to add more—more responsibility, more opportunity, more commitments. Over time, our pace becomes unsustainable. That’s when God often introduces pruning. “Every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” –John 15:2 Pruning is not punishment—it is preparation for greater fruit. Sometimes Divine Pace requires subtraction, not addition. It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing what matters most – Divine Order! In leadership, that may mean saying no to good things so we can say yes to God’s best things—especially eternal things.

Life Rhythms determine what we do daily. Divine Pace determines how we do it. You can have the right habits but still live at the wrong speed. God is not asking us to move faster. He is asking us to walk with Him. Divine Pace is not laziness, it’s alignment. It is living at a speed that allows love, clarity, health, and fruit to flourish. For leaders in the Abide & Lead community, our greatest impact will not come from how fast we move—but from how closely we walk with Jesus and those we love and lead.

Challenge Question: Is your current pace healthy and sustainable? Are you leading in a way that allows you to be patient, present, and fruitful with those closest to you? Are you moving too fast?

Closing Prayer: Father, thank You for being a God of peace and not confusion. Teach us to walk at Your pace. Help us eliminate hurry, embrace Sabbath, and allow You to prune what needs to be pruned. Align our rhythms and our speed with Your purposes. May we lead from rest, not striving, and reflect Your love in every area of our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I pray we will operate with a divine pace this week so we can experience the “unforced rhythms of grace” in Christ Jesus!

God Speed!!!!!