The Pace of Grace: Learning to Move with the Rhythm of the Spirit

“For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the Lord commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people passed over in haste.”

—Joshua 4:10 (ESV)

There’s a small detail tucked into this verse that caught my attention recently: “The people passed over in haste.”

The NKJV phrases it, “They hurried and crossed over.”

It made me pause. Why the hurry? And what does that tell us—not just about the Israelites, but about us?

Hurry: The Rhythm of Our Culture

Let’s be honest: hurry is the pace of our culture.

We race through our days, pack our calendars, multitask through moments, and often wear our busyness like a badge of honor. Especially for the driven, high-capacity types, hurry feels productive. Necessary, even.

But I’ve been learning something lately.

Life isn’t about hurrying.

In fact, when we live in a constant state of hurry, we often miss what God wants us to experience—and who He’s placed in our path to impact.

Crossing in Haste—Was It Spirit-Led?

The Israelites crossed the Jordan “in haste.” The priests stood faithfully in the middle, holding the ark as the people rushed to the other side. Perhaps their hurry made sense:

• The Jordan was at flood stage. Maybe they feared the waters would return.
• They had waited over 400 years to step into the promise. Maybe they were eager.
• They were tired of the wilderness. Tired of setting up and tearing down camp. Ready to settle.

But here’s the question I’ve been asking:

Was their haste Spirit-led—or human-driven?

Fear of what might happen, anxiety over what hasn’t happened, or frustration with our current season are never good reasons to hurry.

And though God may still work through our haste, He invites us into something better: the pace of grace.

Moving at the Pace of Grace

I’ve been adopting this mindset in my own life:

I move at the pace of grace.

Not faster. Not slower. Just as the Spirit leads.

Because here’s the truth:

• There is a time to move with haste—but only when the Spirit says, “Move now!”
• And there is a time to move slowly, deliberately, rhythmically—still in obedience.

Even when God moves quickly, He does so with purpose, not panic.

When we move at His pace, there’s always grace for what awaits on the other side.

Would They Have Hurried If They Knew?

Here’s something fascinating to consider:

If the Israelites knew what awaited them immediately after crossing the Jordan, would they still have hurried?

Their first assignment wasn’t Jericho. It wasn’t battle.

It was circumcision.

God asked them to re-covenant themselves—to consecrate their hearts and bodies once again.

Would they have run across if they knew the pain and delay that awaited them before they could truly possess the land?

Sometimes God doesn’t show us everything ahead—because if He did, we might hesitate. Or run ahead. Or run away.

That’s why it's so important not only to follow His leading, but to follow it at His pace.

Don’t Judge Your Race by Someone Else’s Pace

Each of us is running a race, but it’s not a sprint to the finish.

It’s a lifelong journey of purpose, obedience, and transformation.

There’s grace for your pace—but only when you refuse to judge your journey by someone else’s speed.

Follow the Spirit, Not the Clock

So here’s my encouragement to you—and to myself:

In every season, follow what the Holy Spirit is leading you into, and follow at the pace He’s setting.

Don’t lag behind.

Don’t rush ahead.

Stay in step with the Spirit.

Because when you do, you’ll discover that there is always grace for what awaits on the other side.

And you’ll live not in a hurry—but in His rhythm.

That’s the pace of grace.

Let’s walk in it.