Passion, Pause, and Peace

Reminders have come over the years in different ways, with different words, and in different circles, but they all carried the same message I needed to hear. Pause. I love that word. Pause and consider. I wish I had understood this message earlier in life.

Being a naturally passionate person, learning to take just one step back, enough to distance myself from the passion, to view situations as an observer rather than a participant, has brought much needed clarity. And in those moments when I can tell I am all caught up in the passion of whatever the vision is, and wanting to charge full speed ahead, I have learned the people to call on for help are the friends who tell you what you need, not want, to hear. The friends who cause you to pause.

The Lord put in my heart at the first of this year the importance of being tightly and rightly aligned. I have paid attention to that and adjusted relationships, travel plans, projects, and opportunities accordingly. And here’s the question I want to ask you that I have been asking myself. What if we cancel passion’s permission to jumpstart things until we get the alignment right? I wonder the difference we would see. Passion’s voice can drown out the pause and steal the peace. Let’s pause. Consider. Then tightly and rightly align to the leading of God’s peace.

Some things to pause and consider:

Who do you call on to speak truth to you when you know you need it?
What – or who – needs to be tightly and rightly aligned in your life?
Whose voice is taking up space in your head?
What is that still, small voice inside of you saying?

My prayer is that the last half of 2022 finds you pausing and finding peace before moving forward with your passion. Watch and listen for the next right step. I will be right there with you. Thankfully, God is right here with us all.

Brenda Harkins is an author, speaker, and professional coach specializing in personal, relational and leadership transformation. Brenda believes in impossible possibilities, the joy of family, west Texas sunsets, good coffee, good friends, and the power of God’s love. Not necessarily in that order. Brenda can be reached at brenda@brendaharkins.com and would love to hear from you.

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