Innovating in an Isolated WorldSample

DAY 3 - Learning the Pace of Grace

Innovation isn’t always about the big moments, but about renewing our minds in the way we view our day-to-day. 

We need to be able to develop a ‘pace of grace’ to ensure we have the endurance to sustain us in the long run. 

If we get tired, we need to learn to rest, not to quit. 

A big part of longevity involves us looking after ourselves. We’ve only been given one body and it’s our duty to ensure that we look after it. A big part of that includes resting. 

We find how rest can be beneficial in 1 Kings 19:5-6. After a rest and some food, Elijah was re-energised and was able to travel for 40 days and 40 nights. Prior to this, Elijah was mentally and physically exhausted. He was afraid, discouraged, and depressed. So much so that he wanted to give up.

We can easily feel like everything and everyone is against us when we are exhausted or stressed. 

Our ability to rest physically, mentally, and spiritually will determine the level that we can perform at. 

We must have something in the tank if we want something to come out. Just like if we want to buy our friend a present for their birthday, we have to make sure we have the money. How much money we have in the bank will limit how much the gift costs.

In the same way, we need to ensure that we have something in our tanks to give to people, otherwise we cap the potential of the people we lead and those around us. If we become bitter, run down, or negative, they can become a reflection of that, even if we aren’t directly saying anything to them.

Romans 12:2 reminds us that we can be transformed by ‘renewing’ our mind. In order to do that, we need to be careful of;

• What we allow in our heads 
• What we allow in our bodies 
• Who we allow into our lives

We weren’t created to do everything. The day-to-day tasks may seem small, but these can actually be the things that wear us down over time.  As Muhammad Ali said, “It's not the mountains ahead that wear you out, it's the pebble in your shoe.”

Questions

(1) In this season, what are your priorities? 

(2) What are the little things that are wearing you out? What changes can you make towards resting?