The Gift of Unhurried Time

The Gift of Unhurried Time

The Gift of Unhurried Time

The gift of unhurried time is a prize we long for these days. Pulling together online worship and doing remote ministry takes more time than anyone could have imagined. Many leaders have shared with me that they are weary to the bone.

I can relate.

Most of my days are structured and filled to the brim with things to do.  While I enjoy them, and get a lot done, one key element is missing: free-flowing creative time with God.

As of this writing, I am once again in Florida spending time with my aging parents. Though busy here, I have stepped away from the intensive work of teaching, leading, and meetings, and am receiving a gift that I had forgotten I needed: unhurried time.

Jesus spent unhurried time away from healing, teaching and mentoring. He was the better for it. His life reminds me that spiritual leaders need unhurried time with the Spirit. Are you taking time away to hear from your soul?

A cross in someone's hands.

As more of us get vaccinated and move around more freely, our calendars will quickly start to fill. As our days become packed with activity, anxiety may follow. Will you be open to hearing the message your soul is yearning to give you?

The truth is, your people can’t go farther than you can lead them. Click To Tweet

If you’d like a more responsive, faith-filled congregation, it is time to do the inner work yourself.  As you grow in both faith and skill, the world around you shifts. You will see it in your personal relationships and in the culture of the congregation you lead. That’s because an internal shift in consciousness, faith, and expectation precedes a shift in the people and culture around you.

Both John, the cousin of Jesus, and Jesus himself demonstrate this truth. They each grew in the knowledge and grace of God before they began their public, prophetic work. Their inner work was a prerequisite to co-creating miracles with God. In the same way, both the Twelve and the Seventy grew in their understanding of Jesus and his teachings before they could cast out demons, heal the sick or preach the Kin(g)dom.

Give yourself the gift of unhurried time to grow in the knowledge and grace of God. Join me on my free webinar, How to Create a Culture of Renewal, in which you’ll learn the barriers to achieving renewal, the miracles renewal can bring, and how to take your next step – all part of the process of opening your heart to your soul and seeing the miraculous come to life!

Then watch out world, because you will be unstoppable!

(Adapted from the 3rd edition of Culture Shift, the Track 3 Workbook of Creating a Culture of Renewal®.)

What to Leave Out in Conversations about Race

What to Leave Out in Conversations about Race

Law, custom, and even religion are intertwined with racism. It’s so pervasive that it’s not always easy to identify, let alone dismantle. We must approach Constructive conversations about racism with emotional intelligence.

I have written about arriving at workable definitions of racism and the surprising impact of emotional intelligence on racism

Now, let’s talk about what to leave out in conversations about race. Knowing what to leave out is just as important as what to include.

When people are passionate about a topic—whether passionately for or passionately against—unbridled emotion can easily lead to destructive responses. Destructive responses such as belittling, defensiveness, dismissing opinions, and passive-aggressive behavior strip others’ humanity. While these kinds of reactions may feel satisfying, they don’t advance the conversation. Because they don’t dignify people, hard as it may be, it’s best to leave them out.

Using Emotional Intelligence in Constructive Conversations about Race

On the other hand, while perhaps not immediately satisfying, productive responses will get you farther in the conversation. Apologizing, determining the root of the problem, and taking ownership of your part in a situation will help. Giving people space and time, acknowledging others’ feelings, and seeking active resolution will help. Separating emotions from facts, communicating respectfully, listening, and being aware of your senses will help. These are the kinds of behavior that create space for change.

Effective responses can be harder to live than knee-jerk destructive reactions. However, responding in these ways will grant dignity to yourself and the other parties involved. At the heart of it, acknowledging others’ humanity is one of Christian life’s deep values.

Uncomfortable Conversations

Racism is not easy to identify, let alone dismantle. Approach constructive conversations about racism with emotional intelligence. Click To Tweet

Gloria Browne-Marshall, my guest on the Uncomfortable Conversations series, writes in Race, Law, and American Society that “Justice is an ongoing quest. Freedom for people of color in America began as a fight for physical liberty. It continued as a struggle for constitutional protections and remains a battle against forces that would relegate people to a perpetual underclass based on color and tradition.”

Together, let’s weather that battle for Justice with dignity intact. We do this by fine-tuning what kind of behavior to include and what to leave out. Doing the work of transforming racism is too important not to get right.