Becoming

“Above all, trust in the slow work of God.” - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

We live in a culture that idolizes and rewards overworking and burnout. Often we can translate this culture into our relationships - with God and with others. We spend our lives trying to prove ourselves. We try to prove that we are good enough for others and ourselves, and even for God. All of this striving results in a never-ending cycle of burnout and proving. Even when our souls yell out for rest, we continue working and proving. We try to make God’s slow work fast. We try to speed up the process of healing and becoming. We work so hard in ministry and life to usher in God’s kingdom, to do “enough” - no, more than enough. We need to prove our excellence and worthiness in what we do. We cling to the lies our culture offers, saying “you’ll never be enough” or “prove to me your worthiness in your work”. Often in our rush, we miss the beauty and significance of God’s slow work. God is intentionally forming us, crafting us into who we need to be. 

Don’t rush your becoming. You have all the time you need. You can begin to bloom and flourish right here. You don’t have to sprint through life. You are allowed to pause, right here, in this moment, and take a full breath. Let your shoulders down. You can begin to let go of what you’re clinging to so tightly. You can begin to let go of the lies of the culture. You are already enough. I hope you will feel your hands and heart loosen and open up once again. Let God peel back the layers of who you are. Let God slowly undo all the lies, and remove all the masks. Embrace the slow process of change. Healing is a courageous act. The important thing to remember is that God is gentle and kind. We must open up and allow God to come in and begin the slow work. We have to be willing participants if we wish to become who we were made to be. 

We don’t have to listen to the hustle and bustle culture we live in. There is another way. We can embrace the slow work of God and live our lives in an honest rhythm of work and rest. We can acknowledge our needs and honor our bodies with rest. 

* Here’s a link to the full text of “Patient Trust” by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin