Above all, trust in the slow work of God… Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Patient Trust
Topic: Spiritual Growth & Practice
Above all, trust in the slow work of God.
We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay.
We should like to skip the intermediate stages.
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new.And yet it is the law of all progress
that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—
and that it may take a very long time.And so I think it is with you;
your ideas mature gradually—let them grow,
let them shape themselves, without undue haste.
Don’t try to force them on,
as though you could be today what time
(that is to say, grace and circumstances acting on your own good will)
will make of you tomorrow.Only God could say what this new spirit
gradually forming within you will be.
Give Our Lord the benefit of believing
that his hand is leading you,
and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself
in suspense and incomplete.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin was a French Jesuit priest, paleontologist, theologian, philosopher, and teacher. He was born on May 1, 1881, in Sarcenat, France. He studied geology and paleontology at the University of Paris, and was ordained a priest in 1911.
During World War I, Teilhard served as a stretcher bearer on the front lines. He was decorated for his bravery, and his experiences in the war led him to develop a new understanding of the relationship between science and religion. He believed that evolution was a process of spiritual as well as biological transformation, and that humanity was evolving towards a final spiritual unity. He coined the term "Omega Point" to describe this final spiritual unity.
After the war, Teilhard taught at the Catholic Institute of Paris. He also traveled to China, where he participated in the discovery of Peking Man. In the 1930s, he traveled to other parts of Asia, including the Gobi Desert, Sinkiang, Kashmir, Java, and Burma.
Teilhard's writings were controversial, and he was not allowed to publish his work in the Catholic Church until after his death. However, his ideas have since been published and translated into many languages. His ideas have been praised by some for their insights into the relationship between science and religion, but they have also been criticized by others for being too optimistic or even heretical.
Teilhard de Chardin was a brilliant and passionate thinker, and his work continues to be influential and thought-provoking. He was a pioneer in the field of evolutionary theology, and his ideas have helped to shape the way we think about the relationship between science and religion.
Chardin, Pierre Teilhard de. "Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be. Give Our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you, and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete. "The Making of a Mind: Letters from a Soldier-Priest 1914-1919, Harper & Brothers, 1961.
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
Theme: Spiritual Growth
About This Pierre Teilhard de Chardin Quotation [Commentary]
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin urges patience and trust in the unfolding of spiritual transformation. He acknowledges our natural impatience—our tendency to “skip the intermediate stages” and reach for certainty. Yet, he reminds us that “it is the law of all progress” to pass through instability, a necessary part of growth. Rather than resisting the unknown, he encourages us to accept the slow and gradual nature of inner development, trusting that we are being shaped by grace and circumstances beyond our control.
Teilhard emphasizes that true transformation cannot be forced. He advises us to “let [our ideas] grow” rather than rush to define or finalize them. Spiritual growth, like any organic process, requires time and trust. He reassures us that we are not alone in this process; “grace and circumstances acting on your own good will” guide our unfolding. Though this may create discomfort, it is through this uncertainty that our deepest growth takes place.
Ultimately, Teilhard reminds us that “only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be.” The work of God is often unseen, and we may feel “in suspense and incomplete,” yet this is part of being led. Trusting in “the slow work of God” allows us to release our need for immediate resolution and believe that something greater is taking shape within us. By surrendering to this process, we make space for divine guidance to bring us to wholeness in its own time.
Trusting in the Slow Work of God
Pierre Teilhard de Chardin reminds us that spiritual growth cannot be rushed. “We are quite naturally impatient,” eager to bypass uncertainty and reach clarity, yet true progress requires moving through “stages of instability.” He encourages us to let our ideas and inner transformation unfold without haste, trusting that “grace and circumstances” shape us in ways beyond our immediate understanding. Instead of resisting the unknown, we are called to be patient with ourselves, to stay open to the ways God is leading us, and to recognize the value of the present moment rather than fixating on what lies ahead.
Teilhard assures us that “God’s hand is leading you,” even when the path feels unclear. He acknowledges the “anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete,” reminding us that uncertainty is part of becoming who we are meant to be. Growth is not about reaching a final state but about allowing God’s work to unfold in its own time. “Only God could say what this new spirit gradually forming within you will be.” Trusting this process frees us from the pressure of control and allows us to be shaped by a wisdom greater than our own.
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