This week I have participated in what is known as my Ministerial Development Review (MDR) which takes place every few years for incumbents and clergy. It is a chance to meet with a wise old owl; in my case a senior retired priest, to take stock as to where I am in my ministry and life, and to see what areas I might look at for growth or refinement or dare I say it, pruning back or letting go. Trying perhaps to refocus a little and to see where God is in all of this. I found it a very helpful process.
Every so often, life gives us a gentle nudge—or sometimes a rather firm shove—to take stock. Maybe for some of us it’s a birthday ending in a zero, or the moment you realise you’ve started making that noise your father used to make when sitting down. Whatever the trigger, the Spirit sometimes seems to whisper: “How’s it all going, really?
Taking stock of our lives isn’t about guilt or grim introspection; it’s about accountability and guidance, two words that can sound heavy but are actually deeply freeing when approached in the right light. In Christian life, accountability isn’t a punishment; it’s a gift. It’s God’s way of reminding us that we don’t have to muddle through on our own.
Think of it perhaps as spiritual spring cleaning. We all accumulate a bit of clutter over time—habits, grudges, distractions and perhaps that comforting illusion that “I’m fine, really.” But sooner or later, the clutter piles up and we can’t find the joy that’s supposed to be sitting right there on the shelf next to gratitude.
When Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” He was inviting us to have a good rummage through our priorities. It’s not about throwing out everything and moving to a monastery (though the thought of someone else doing all the cooking might appeal). It’s about discerning what truly helps us grow in love, joy, peace, patience and kindness…and maybe letting go of the rest.
Accountability plays a part here. We all need people who will tell us, lovingly, when we’ve drifted off the path a little… Not the sort who relish pointing out your faults, but the kind who will sit with you over a cuppa or a glass of wine and gently ask, “Are you sure that’s the path God’s nudging you towards?” Sometimes guidance comes from a friend’s wise word, a line of Scripture or that quiet conviction in prayer when God raises an eyebrow and says, “Really? Are you sure?…!…Discarding certain things can be painful. We grow attached to our habits and our comfort zones. But pruning is part of growth—Jesus said as much about the vine and its branches. It’s not about loss but about fruitfulness. When we make space by letting go—of bitterness, busyness, self-reliance—we find room for grace to grow.
And as for guidance? That’s where the humour comes in. God’s guidance rarely arrives with a fanfare or a GPS- style voice saying, “Turn left at the next moral dilemma.” It’s often quieter, humbler, more like a gentle lantern than a floodlight. But when we trust that gentle light, step by step, we find ourselves on solid ground again
So perhaps as I have done this week, we might perhaps take time to pause a little, take stock and listen. Ask yourself: what needs keeping in your life? what needs clearing out? and what’s waiting to bloom?
