Tuesday, April 19, 2011

NAVIGATING THE HILLS OF LEADERSHIP

One of the best things that happened to me along the ministry way was to not get my way.  This was a huge struggle.  I had big ideas; great ideas.  Often they withered under some sort of invisible wave of dismissal.  I was resentful.

I will never know why God was so graceful during those days; while He was graceful I learned to become grateful. 

I don't really know of a more inadequate person at being a person than me.  I'm serious.  Yet, that very qualification is a reason I think God works with and through me.  If He can work with this He can work with anyone.

I needed the "running the show" and "parading my talents" crushed out of me.  Many of them have been.  I am blessed by His patience and love. 

Each time I hit another hill too steep to climb I immediately wonder what God has going in the center of the challenge.  I wasn't much of a praiser of God.  I was an orchestrator.  I was a dreamer.  But I was not one who gave a thought to praising God. 

Today such is my goal.  I want to see God honored and praised.  Now I can see that young leaders as I once was fight the very thing we need; not getting our way.  If we are going to work from such a special position in the kingdom we are necessarily going to get clobbered.  We must learn to take it.  We must learn not to run.  We must learn to praise Him in the very center.

Paul and Silas in prison unfairly?  They sang their hearts out as if they were attending a very special seminar of sorts.  When they bellowed out their praises to God, everything which restricted them let go.  That's operating by kingdom style of Jesus....effectively navigating the rugged hills of leadership.

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