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“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)
This passage is more than an invitation away from religious law, ill-fitting expectations, or momentary relief. It is an invitation to a whole new way of life.
Jesus’ words “Come to me” guide us to step away from the burden of self-imposed or world-imposed expectations, regulations, judgments, and guilt. They call us to enter into the rest and freedom only God provides. This is not about escaping responsibility but about embracing a way of life that sustains, restores, and is free and light. God promises that it’s not ill-fitting.
The alternative we’re given to a life of ill-fitting expectations is an unforced rhythm of grace. This intersects with our lives in many ways:
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Living at the pace of grace that Jesus modeled.
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Walking in self-forgiveness and self-acceptance instead of self-condemnation.
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Extending patience and gentleness to others who act out of their unhealed wounds.
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Holding onto hope, even when life is difficult and expectations go unmet.
Let’s lean further into how the unforced rhythm of grace applies to the pace we live by. For those in ministry, these rhythms are not optional; they are necessary. If we are to serve well and finish well, we must allow the grace of God to carry us into real rest—not just in moments of crisis, but in the daily rhythms of our lives.
Walk with Me:
Rhythm implies a repeated refrain, a deliberate way of life. It includes both the refrain of working hard for the Lord and taking real rest in Him.
Jesus, though surrounded by constant demands, moved with purpose and peace. He never hurried, never allowed the urgent to override the essential. He withdrew to be with the Father, prioritizing time in His presence over the pressure of unmet needs or awaiting miracles. He knew that what was required of him could not be done without deep attunement and direction from the One who sent him.
In ministry we often dismiss this as the way we’re called to live by pretending that our lifestyle, which encourages burnout and edges out room to listen to the Holy Spirit over ourselves, is honoring God.
We must walk in the unforced rhythm of grace too. This is a way of living that responds to the demands of life by replenishing your soul to the capacity that it has been depleted. We can push through for a time, but we must respond. Not with more striving, but with soul-restoring practices done in partnership with the Father such as:
- Enjoying creation.
- Being ministered to through scripture.
- Restorative solitude.
- Exercise and movement.
- Encouraging fellowship.
- Creative expression.
Ignoring our limits risks self-reliance, self-imposed agendas, burnout, and a ministry that outruns God. Instead, we must commit to a rhythm where our output is met by divine input—a lifestyle that aligns with the Spirit rather than the pressures around us.
Jesus speaks of "real rest", the kind that reaches beyond physical tiredness to the weariness of the soul. Real rest is not simply a break from ministry; it is an encounter with God’s humble and gentle spirit—letting His love, grace, and assurance breathe life into our weary places. It is a place where we trade our striving and our human strategies for His sustaining presence. It is the only way to live and lead freely and lightly—which is not just an ideal or wishful thinking, but a biblical promise.
Work with Me:
The way of grace is meant to be unforced. It should fit. It should belong. But for that to happen, we must remove internal barriers that prevent us from embracing true rest and grace.
We must partner with God to redeem barriers such as:
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The drive to always do one more thing or outperform yesterday.
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The need to prove ourselves through performance.
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The imposter syndrome that tells us we haven’t earned our position or influence yet.
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The guilt that comes when we choose rest over productivity.
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The savior complex that convinces us everything depends on us.
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The fear of losing control if we step away.
Grace supplies the answer to our weaknesses, flaws, limitations, and failures. It bridges the gap between our capacity and the need before us. It frees us from striving, assures us that we are loved beyond our work, and restores us when we fall short. Grace preserves and protects our value while we rest instead of perform and produce. Grace offers the unconditional love that allows us to live in humble security.
We need to be unhindered if it’s to be unforced.
Watch How I Do It:
As we obediently apply the unforced rhythms of grace to our lives, we are to be watching intently to see:
- How God brings out the best in us when we abide in Him.
- How clarity and strength come through the quiet places.
- How His Spirit accomplishes more than our striving or grit-based strength ever could.
- How more than we could ask or imagine gets done (Ephesians 3:20) when we get out of the way.
The unforced rhythms of grace are not a luxury. They are a non-negotiable key to seeing God truly at work.
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