I was a slow learner

I wish I could tell you I used this tool early in my healing. The truth is, I didn’t. I had a plan to power through therapy in six months. I pushed hard, dug into everything at once, and tried to force healing on my own timeline. Instead of getting better, I ended up in an emotional crisis that nearly undid me.

After years of struggle, I finally realized what I was doing wasn’t working. That’s when this shift began to take root. Healing isn’t about rushing through or forcing the big picture. It’s about trusting God to establish each step, even if that step feels slower or smaller than I want.

Pause, Name, and Release

This week’s tool is simple, but it was life-changing for me: pause, name one small step you can take, and release the pace of that step to God. For me, it meant keeping one therapy appointment without demanding instant results. It meant resting when I wanted to push harder. It meant learning to pray, “Lord, I trust You with this step, and I trust You with the timing.”

Looking back, I see now that the steps I wanted to rush past were the very ones God used to steady me. His pace was slower, but it was also safer — and it was the only way forward that didn’t destroy me.

I’d love to hear how this tool meets you this week.

What’s one small step you sense God inviting you to take — and how might trusting His pace change the way you walk it out?

P.S. This week begins Series Two: Walking It Out — a fresh set of tools that build on Series One. If you’d like access to the downloadable tools that go with each reflection, you can sign up here: Get Updates. When you do, you’ll also receive The Pause worksheet as a welcome gift.