Move at the Pace of Peace

Well, hello, my valued listeners, and welcome back to another episode of Living in Your Power. I am your host, Dr. Marleen Greenleaf, and as always, you know I am truly grateful that you've chosen to spend this time with me today. Now, as we continue our August series, Moving with Intention, Purposeful steps into what's next? Last week, we talked about taking the next step without needing to see the entire map, and we reflected on trusting God enough to move with what we know, even when we don't have every answer. But today, today I want to add something important to that conversation. Because once we decide to move, there can be a temptation to rush. Yes, we think, now that I know where I'm going, I need to get there quickly. And we start pushing, we start striving, and we're trying to make things happen. And before long, before long, what began as an intentional step becomes an exhausting race. So today we're talking about something I believe many of us need to practice, and that is moving forward without abandoning our peace. So today's episode, the second in our August series, is titled Move at the Pace of Peace. Move at the Pace of Peace. So let's get into this. I said, when did everything become urgent? Hmm? Have you noticed how much of life seems to come with a sense of urgency? It's respond now, decide now, achieve now, grow now, post now, build now. I mean, figure it out right now. Everything is now, right now. We're surrounded by messages That tell us faster is better. And if we're not careful, if we're not careful, we will begin measuring our progress by speed. Someone else launched a business. Someone else received a promotion. Someone else wrote the book. And someone else reached a milestone. And suddenly, suddenly, we're no longer walking our own journey. Because we're racing someone else's. And that's where comparison becomes dangerous. Because comparison doesn't simply make us question where we are, it can make us question our pace. Because we, we begin thinking, hmm, maybe I'm moving too slowly. Oh, maybe I should be further along. Or maybe I'm running out of time. And that's when pressure begins making decisions for us. But here's something I've come to understand. Urgency and purpose are not the same thing. I'm going to say that again. Urgency Urgency and purpose are not the same thing because everything that feels urgent is not necessarily important, and everything important does not have to be rushed. I mean, sometimes the most intentional thing you can do is slow down long enough to hear you clearly. Our Bible verse today is taken from Psalm 46:10. It says to be still and know that I am God. Be still enough to know. This, this is such a short scripture, and yet, and yet there is so much power in it. It says to be still. Not because nothing needs to be done. Not because responsibilities disappear. Not because life suddenly becomes quiet, but because stillness allows us to remember who it actually— who's actually in control. I mean, the verse doesn't say be still until you figure everything out. It clearly says be still and know that I am God. So there's a difference. Stillness isn't inactivity. It's trust. It's creating enough internal quiet to hear beyond the noise. Because when everything around us is shouting, hurry! God may be saying, wait. And when fear says, do something! Wisdom may be saying, not yet. And when pressure says, you're falling behind, God may simply be reminding you to stay with me. And that's why peace can become such an important part of discernment. Peace doesn't always tell us what to do. But it can help us recognize how we're doing it. And are we moving from trust, or are we moving from panic? Are we responding thoughtfully, or simply reacting? So sometimes the pace itself tells us what is leading us. So I want to say this, and peace is not passivity. I, I want to make something very clear. Moving at the pace of peace does not mean moving slowly all the time. There will be seasons when things happen quickly. Opportunities can arrive unexpectedly. Doors can open suddenly. And sometimes you will need to make a decision and move. So peace isn't about speed. It's about alignment. Do you see the difference? I mean, you can move quickly and still be peaceful, and you can move slowly while being completely consumed by anxiety. So the question Isn't how fast I'm moving. The question is, what is driving my movement? That's the difference. When we're driven by fear, we often feel the need to force things. I mean, we chase, we overcommit, we say yes before we've had time to discern, and we convince ourselves That if we don't grab an opportunity immediately, we'll never receive another one. But when we're moving from peace, something changes. We can pause. We can pray. We can ask questions. We can gather information. And we can say, let me think about that. And perhaps most importantly, we can walk away from something that doesn't feel aligned, even if it looks good on paper. And that, my dear listeners, that is freedom. Because not every opportunity is an assignment. Not every open door requires you to walk through. And not every delay means you've missed your calling. That's right. missed your moment. Sometimes peace is the confirmation, and sometimes the absence of peace is the invitation to look again. So let's return to today's scripture briefly. Again, it says, be still and know that I am God. Now maybe the stillness you need isn't physical. Dear listeners, maybe you don't need to stop everything you're doing. Maybe you simply need to quiet what's happening inside you— the pressure, the comparison, the expectations, the fear that you're behind, the belief that everything must happen immediately. And then ask yourself, what would this decision look like if I made it from peace? That's our empowerment question for this week. So I want you to take a few moments and reflect on this. Where am I currently feeling rushed? Is that urgency coming from God or from fear, pressure, or comparison? I'm so glad you asked that question. Have I committed to something before giving myself time to discern it? What would change if I allowed peace to determine my pace? And where might God be asking me to simply be still long enough to hear? So I'm going to repeat these prompts for you again. I want you to reflect on these. Where am I currently feeling rushed? Is that urgency coming from God or from fear, pressure, or comparison? Have I committed to something before giving myself time to discern it? What would change if I allowed peace to determine my pace? And where might God be asking me to simply be still long enough to hear? And then, then I want you to breathe. You don't have to solve everything in that moment. You don't have to respond immediately. You don't have to know what comes next. And sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is, I'll give myself time. To discern this, I mean there is wisdom in the pause. There is wisdom in the pause. So in closing, my friends, as you move through this week, I want you to remember that you are allowed to move at the pace of peace. You don't have to match someone else's timeline. You don't have to rush. Don't rush because the world tells you that faster is better, and you don't have to manufacture urgency when God has given you room to breathe. Move when it's time to move. Pause when it's time to pause. Act when action is required, and rest when rest is needed. But through it all, through it all, I want you to remember to stay connected, stay discerning, stay grounded. Because purposeful movement isn't measured by how quickly you arrive; it's measured by whether you remain aligned along the way. I want to thank you for joining me for episode. This is week 2 of our August series, Moving with Intention: Purposeful Steps into What's Next. So next week, next week we'll continue with When Preparation Meets Opportunity. We'll talk about the work that happens before the door opens and why preparation is never wasted, even when we don't yet know where it will lead. So until next time, I want you to continue to live boldly in your power today. And if it gets tough, just breathe. You still got the strength to rise. So until next time, continue to live in your power. Thank you, Marleen.