Non-Anxious Urgency: Living Prepared in a Restless World
I have been thinking quite a bit about what it means to live with a real sense of urgency without being driven or activated by it. Having worked with marketplace leaders, churches, and Christian movements, I find myself often oscillating between two worlds: aspiration and despair. I find myself listening to two different kinds of visionaries– there are the visionaries who motivate from an energetic articulation of all that is possible to create a beautiful world and there are those who prophetically motivate from the coming challenges and pain emerging in a present reality while predicting the catastrophe ahead. Being the daughter of immigrants, married to a first generation Haitian, and having worked predominately in low-income, ethnically diverse communities- I probably pull toward the latter. But having now worked with highly resourced organizations and business leaders, I’ve also resonated and enjoyed the hope offered by the former. And yet, both seem to need something from the other.
There is a paradox at the heart of Christian leadership: we are called to live with urgency, yet without anxiety. To motivate sacrificial, costly work in line with the kingdom of God that could return at any moment, yet receive an invitation of deep rest into Christ himself in which we abide and dwell with our Creator who has no need for our effort. This tension invites us into a way of being that is neither hurried nor complacent, but fully alive, attentive, and deeply rooted in Christ.
The New Testament is rich with imagery that calls us to readiness. The Apostle Paul’s exhortation to be “prepared in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2) speaks of a life postured for action, while the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1-13) warns us of the consequences of not being prepared and spiritual neglect. Often, we think of these passages as Christ’s final return—but after watching Christian business leaders and ministers navigate political polarization, COVID, and economic challenges I am more convinced then ever that it also applies to the moments that “suddenly” come upon society in which crisis creates liminal space and significant opportunity for individual and societal change. We are to work and worship with an urgency as though there is no greater moment to be active in our faith then the one we are in. At the same time, we hear Jesus’ invitation to abide in Him (John 15:4) and His promise for rest to the weary (Matthew 11:28-30). There's always more time when it comes to savoring our union with Christ. These threads weave together a vision of a leader who is both watchful and restful, both urgent and unshaken.
Urgency Without Anxiety
In the kingdom of God, urgency does not look like frantic striving or reactive busyness. It is not fueled by fear of failure or a need to prove ourselves. Instead, it flows from a deep awareness of the moment we are in—a readiness to step into God’s work, no matter the season.
The parable of the ten virgins illustrates this well. Five were prepared, their lamps filled with oil, while the others were caught unready when the bridegroom arrived. I’ve seen this play out over and over in leadership crisis where the few were ready to lead forward with non-anxious presence and courageous action while the many retreated, froze, or joined actions not consistent with a radical love of neighbor. The oil is not merely a resource; it represents a cultivated life of abiding in Christ, of being filled with the Spirit, so that when the moment comes—whether a time of suffering or celebration—we are ready to participate fully as representatives of Jesus in a watching and waiting world.
Leaders are called to live with this kind of readiness, walking in step with the Spirit. Yet this readiness is not rushed or busy, even if it is full and active. It is marked by a non-anxious presence and a deep abiding and rest in communion with Christ & people. It requires us to be sober-minded, to stay awake, and to discern the times without succumbing to the frenzy of the world.
Radical Love and Restful Presence
At the heart of this non-anxious urgency is a radical love whose source is Jesus. This love draws us into solidarity with the suffering, enabling us to walk alongside the “least of these” with compassion and courage. It also invites us to celebrate fully, to rejoice with those who rejoice, to bridge tensions and love those who have hostility toward us.
This love, however, is not something we can manufacture. Our nervous systems won’t allow it. It must be sourced in our union with Christ and communion with others. It flows abundantly from the rest He promises to those who dwell in him. A leader who abides in Christ is able to give out of the overflow of that relationship rather than striving to meet endless demands. It is only from this place of rest that we can respond to needs of all those around us that we serve as well as find ways to participate in loving the world’s suffering with both urgency and patience, with both boldness and gentleness.
The Kingdom and the Call to Readiness
The kingdom of God is here, and it is breaking in. Jesus tells us that “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12, KJV). This is not a call to aggression but to a determined and courageous pursuit of God’s purposes. Leaders who are prepared in season and out of season, who live with non-anxious urgency, are those who take the kingdom by force—not with striving hands but with steadfast hearts.
This type of leadership is not easy work. It requires sobriety of mind, daily practices to abide in Christ, community tied to who we are (not our jobs), and a willingness to embrace both the joys and the sorrows of the world. But it is also a life of profound joy and freedom. To lead with non-anxious urgency is to experience an intimacy with Christ found only in participating in his deepest vulnerabilities. It is to know that we are not alone in this work, and to believe that God’s grace is enough for each moment.
Restoration for Leaders
For leaders, this way of living offers restoration. It frees us from the cycles of burnout, discouragement, and misuse of the people around us. These cycles so often plague those in leadership. But non-anxious urgency reminds us that no matter the scope or scale of our work, we are simply a small participant in God’s redemptive work.
Our readiness for the kingdom is not measured by our productivity, but by our proximity to Christ. Our urgency is not driven by anxiety, but by the passion to see God’s kingdom visible on earth. And our presence is not restless, but deeply rooted in the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Restorative leaders embrace the call to non-anxious urgency. We fill our lamps with the oil of abiding love, and we are prepared to meet each moment with courage, rest, and the deep assurance that we are held by the One who restores all things.
