May 19, 2023

Does My Pace of Life Reflect Jesus?

“Do more! Bigger is better! Climb the highest mountain! You can have it all!” Recognize anything about these statements? I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of a steady life pace. Does the pace of my life reflect the Way of Jesus? It’s an important question for visionary people to ask.

In a distance race, if you run too fast in the beginning, you don’t finish well. Easier said than done. The excitement of the race tends to make you go faster in the beginning. The music is playing, everyone is hyped up. Off you go, wanting to get a bit ahead of the crowd.

The pace of my life can get too fast as well. If I want to finish well, I need to regularly pause and slow down.

That’s not to say everyone is like me. I’m a visionary leader and admittedly a Type A personality. Some people’s pace may be too slow. When overwhelmed you slow to almost a standstill. Let’s look at this issue together, regardless of our personality.

Loving Both the Lost and Jesus Well

I’ve recently been digging into a book by Peter Scazzero Emotionally Healthy Discipleship. I’ve read a lot of his books in the past and always learn important lessons. Peter and I are a lot alike, full of vision and passion for the lost. These are good things but they can lead to an unhealthy way of living, one that doesn’t reflect Jesus well.

How we live, including the pace of our lives, makes as great an impact on the world as what we do.
C. Anderson

Behind the scenes of my writing and training ministry, I have an amazing team. They serve the overall ministry of Disciple Makers Increase, DMMs Frontier Missions, and Missionary Life. A few weeks ago we had a staff retreat. Our speakers, a couple who served as missionaries in Bolivia for more than thirty years, made a statement that caught my attention.

“The way we grieved when we lost our son had a greater impact on those we ministered to than anything we did in our thirty years of ministry.” Their son was killed in a tragic accident. Heartbroken, they suffered this very painful grief and loss while on the field.

What made the greatest impact in their thirty years of cross-cultural ministry? Was it the schools they built? The churches they planted? No, it was how they lived their lives, particularly in times of crisis and loss. Who we are as disciples of Jesus impacts the world as much and more than what we do.

Many of us realize this in our heads, but how do we get it down into our hearts and lives? Into things like the pace at which we “run” in this Kingdom race?

3 Necessities To Maintain a Healthy Pace

1) Evaluate yourself regularly

How is your pace of life this month? Mine’s been too busy! I’m evaluating and looking for ways to slow down. Yesterday I had a conversation with a close friend. We brainstormed together. What can I stop doing? I’m talking with my husband about it too.

Who do you talk to when you notice your pace is too fast or too slow?

Do you feel lethargic (lazy) and like your motivation is slipping? Pause. Evaluate. Pray about it and talk with someone close to you about this.

2) Run with others

We need community. Its part of the way God designed us. Running with a team keeps you on pace. For those who tend to slow down, they will speed you up. If you tend to overwork, they will force you to slow down as you make decisions together rather than alone.

Working in a team is extremely valuable. It’s not always easy, but it’s almost always better in the long run. Be open with your team about how you are doing as far as pace. Have a discussion about the progress you are making toward your vision. Is it moving forward in a stable, steady way? Or racing forward then slowing to a standstill?

3) Find your rhythm

Again, let me draw from my experience as a runner. Some people like to use a timing device to help them stay on pace. In every marathon, there are also pacesetters. They run at a particular pace and you can follow alongside or behind them to maintain your pace. Some runners follow a special pattern or rhythm. They run fast for a certain number of minutes, then do a slow jog for a bit, then speed up again.

My life seems to have its fast-paced seasons and its seasons where I intentionally slow down. They go in cycles. You may have noticed that in the summer months I slow down my blogging. After an intense season of ministry, I often work half days for a few days. I need to regroup. Another part of my rhythm is sabbath and retreats.

Its okay to run fast sometimes. But if you do so indefinitely, you won’t finish well.

What is your spiritual rhythm? Do you intentionally slow down or speed up at times? Have you gotten off your rhythm lately? I regularly have to check and make sure the habits that keep me healthy are still in place.

Do You Need to Park Here?

I like to meditate on scripture. I find it helpful not only to read the Bible but to take particular verses and really digest them. Rather than reading further, sometimes I “park” on a particular passage. I do this with quotes from books as well. Below is one I’m “parked on” at the moment. I want to let it sink in and begin to change and shape me.