Leaders

It’s been said that “Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional.” We cannot stop what happens to us, but we can certainly stop what happens in us.

Previously, I posted on “13 Signs of Leadership Fatigue.” Several readers asked me to write a follow up post about ways to deal with these signs. Maybe these suggestions will help you move past leadership fatigue.

We want to bring the best of ourselves to work. There is a science to how we rest and restore our energies and creativity.

Leadership is sometimes wearisome – so wearisome that we come close to giving up. Over the years, I’ve watched leaders slide into defeat, and I’ve seen some of these common signs of trouble.

Being the leader doesn’t mean being the only voice. It means knowing how to curate the voices that will bring the right ideas to help your team effectively carry out the mission. Be the curator!

Leaders fall into two categories ‒ those who flourish and those who don’t. What are common traits of flourishing leaders? I believe what happened in the early church gives us clues to traits of a flourishing leader.

Changes and decisions will always be a part of our lives – but with God leading the way, what else do we need? What are we afraid of? Truly, the Apostle Paul was perfectly right when he said, “If God is for us, who can be against us? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Rom. 8:31, 37).

A large Christian NGO in Africa demonstrates the powerful combination of strong, servant leadership with relentless prayer and painful personal confession. Change was not cheap, easy or quick. But it happened.

Currents not founded in Christ flow around us, pulling and pushing at our thoughts and attitudes. It is not the intent of the drifter to be carried away, but the consequence of not recognizing the presence and effects of currents.

Sometimes it seems men generate mess as a byproduct of being men but thankfully we are worth more than the mess we create.

People waste years and sometimes their whole lives, never coming close to their purpose in God, because they get caught up in their own or someone else’s religious speculations. If we are to be effective and balanced teachers of God’s Word, we must recognize that our doctrines have various levels of significance and of authority. Jesus said there are certain doctrinal matters that are “more important” than others. By implication, this means there are some doctrinal matters that are “less important.”

God, in everything, carries out the plan of His will. Can we trust Him as leaders?