Leadership

I have always had a desire to be a leader. A leader in ministry, a leader in society, a leader in the workplace. I am excited for every opportunity to be a leader that I am given. This summer I was blessed with a leadership position in Heaven Fest, and I have rejoiced over it, I've been humbled by it, and I've given God multitudes of thanks and praises for it. Leadership is something that is very important to me, and it is a sincere desire of my heart. It is something that motivates me, drives me, inspires me.

But recently, I have been taking a look at my life and my relationships, and I have realized over the past few months that many people in my life do not see me as a leader. Some of these people include people who are close to me and important to me and whose opinions, input, advice, and insight are valuable to me. It hasn't been things that they've said...Their behavior communicated this to me. It's communicated in their responses when I volunteer for a leadership position - they're nonverbal cues. It's communicated when I see them passing me by to seek advice and encouragement from someone else. They talk to me about the issues, they act interested in my help - but when it's that moment when they NEED advice, prayer, or help... they go to someone else. That's discouraging - and thought provoking.

I don't think any of the people who have communicated these things to me have known that they were. I don't think they have any idea. I think it's all subconscious. To them, at least. Me, I see it clearly. It hurts, definitely. It's disappointing. But I'm not holding it against anybody. it mostly just makes me ask, "Why not? Why don't they seek those things from me? Why are they passing me by? What qualities of a leader am I missing? How can I develop them?"

I was praying about this a bit last night, and God gave me three things that to me, seem like the basis for Christian leadership. They might sound obvious - but at the time God revealed them to me, He helped me to understand why and how these things play specifically into leadership - not just the Christian life or walk.

1) Intercede in prayer for people as they are talking about their struggles. Pray then and there. Of course, don't stop there. Pray for them in your quiet time as well. Become a prayer warrior.

2) Get in the Word and get to know GOD! The more knowledge you have of the Bible and of who God is, the more people are going to come to you for advice and insight.

3) Seek to be like Christ. Seek to respond and act as he would in various situations, every situation you encounter. The more people see you living like Christ, the more they are going to be drawn to you and again, seek you for wisdom and advice, help and insight.

As I was writing this post, I took a break to watch a music video for Kari Jobe's "You Are For Me." It moved me deeply and almost made me cry. It spoke to me that God is for me, and that He is going to develop the leader in me. He sees the leader inside me even though many right now do not or can not. He sees who I can be and the plans He has to use me, when others pass me by. And He won't abandon the work that He is doing in me.

"Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
~ Philippians 1:6