Quietly Becoming
- Cheryl A.S. Hurley
- Jan 20
- 4 min read
The Pause with Purpose
What if the very pauses, pains, and people that seemed to delay your progress were never meant to destroy your purpose but to deepen it? There are seasons when we know, deep in our spirit, what God has led us to do. The assignment is clear. The nudge is undeniable. Yet somehow, progress slows. Momentum feels interrupted. And before we know it, what once felt alive and urgent is now sitting on pause.
Often, these delays don’t come wrapped in obvious opposition. They come quietly, as distractions in the form of people, places, and things. Some are well-meaning. Some are unexpected. Some are rooted in unresolved wounds. And if we’re honest, some are simply misalignments that pull our focus away from God and toward the noise around us. But here is the good news: what feels paused on our end is never abandoned on God’s.
When Distractions Temporarily Derail Direction
Distractions can momentarily detour us, but they never have the authority to cancel God’s plans. When our focus shifts from God to the disruption, we may feel delayed or even defeated. Yet Scripture gently reorients us:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11
This promise was spoken to people in exile. People who felt displaced, discouraged, and uncertain about their future. God did not deny their disruption; He redefined it. The delay was not denial. The pause was preparation.
The Wounds We Carry and the Wisdom They Hold
Along the journey, wounds can come through rejection, disappointment, loss, unmet expectations, or moments when obedience felt costly. These wounds often leave us questioning ourselves and, at times, quietly questioning God. They can whisper lies like:
You failed.
You waited too long.
Maybe the promise wasn’t meant for you.
But wounds are not evidence of failure. They are often evidence of formation.
One of my spiritual mentors, Dr. Robert E. Brown, introduced me to many transformative books over the years with The Wounded Healer being one of them. That introduction reshaped and began a process of how I understood pain, purpose, and calling. As I give deeper thought to the wounds we carry, I’ve come to see that they are not meant to disqualify us; they are meant to develop us.
In The Wounded Healer, Henri Nouwen reminds us that healing does not come from pretending we are whole, but from honestly acknowledging where we are wounded and allowing God to meet us there. When surrendered, wounds become places where character is refined, compassion is expanded, and humility is strengthened. They help us move forward, not guarded, but grounded; not hardened, but healed.
A Personal Reflection: Strength Found in Stillness
In this season, I am intentionally choosing to slow down. There is something powerful about being still, about choosing quiet when everything around me demands noise. As I lean into silence and intentionally make space for God to speak, I find myself reconnecting to assignments that were once placed in a holding pattern. Not abandoned. Not forgotten. Simply waiting.
In these moments of stillness, I am becoming increasingly aware of how powerful distractions can be and how subtly they can derail direction when focus begins to drift. Yet even in that awareness, I am in awe of God’s faithfulness. What He planted years ago remains intact. What He promised still carries purpose. Stillness is not delaying my destiny; it is clarifying it.
This realization is what inspires the very first You Matter podcast episode, Finding Strength in the Silence. It is an invitation, one I am living in real time...to pause, to breathe, and to rediscover the strength that emerges when striving gives way to listening.
Tools That Support Purposeful Living
In alignment with this journey, the You Matter eStore exists not as a sales pitch, but as a resource hub offering tools that gently support reflection, affirmation, and intentional living. Each item is designed to serve as a tangible reminder of truth, helping you stay anchored when life gets loud and distractions compete for your attention. These tools are not about doing more; they are about living more aligned.
A Soul Threads Affirmation
Before we affirm what is true, I invite us to pause and acknowledge how far we’ve come despite the distractions, and recognize that every moment of stillness, healing, and redirection has been shaping us for what’s next.
'I honor the stillness that reconnects me to purpose. I trust that no pause has been wasted. What God planted remains alive. My wounds are becoming wisdom. And I move forward...aligned, renewed, and confident in God’s unfolding plan.'
With Grace and Purpose,
Cheryl A.S. Hurley
"Living unapologetically in purpose."
🎙️ The Wait Is Over—We’re Live!
P.S. I’m excited to share that the YOU Matter Podcast has officially launched! This monthly podcast is an extension of the Soul Threads journey, creating space for intentional conversations, soul-centered reflections, and purposeful reminders to pause, refocus, and realign.
If this article spoke to you, I invite you to continue the moment by listening to the podcast. Each episode is designed to meet you right where you are, reminding you that you matter—and so does the journey you’re walking. Let’s keep living on purpose together
👉 Click the image to listen on Spotify🔗 Or listen directly here:
(Additional listening platforms coming soon.)
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