I recently was with a leader whose organization was struggling. On the good side, he wanted to lead well – to create future. On the down side, his struggle was now pouring shame into his mind and soul. “What is wrong with me?” “Why can’t I…?”
As I sat with him, fire stoked in my soul. It occurred to me that this was spiritual warfare. When leaders are full of shame they cannot lead well. When leaders are full of shame they most often either take foolish risks or no risks at all! When leaders are paralyzed by shame, the very reason they are called to lead is lost!!!!
Here’s our passion. We are made by God in the wonder of His creation (Colossians 1:16). That creation is good and for a divine purpose! (Colossians 1:16b). So, I am not made wrong, though we may be in a challenging, difficult season. But if I am placed there to lead, then I must put down the shame and pick up my calling!
Christ made me! He gave me gifts and by design did not give me other gifts. The gifts and temperament I have are by His design, and if He placed me here they are perfect in His eyes for this moment.
Calling – if we live out of it and lead out of it, moves us from shame to a place of confidence. We never gain confidence by comparison!!! We only gain confidence when we know our calling, why we are created just so. And we lead in confidence when we move from that unique calling in the confidence that our current assignment must somehow fit who He made us to be!
Leaders cannot lead out of shame. We must lead out of our calling which creates hope, destiny, confidence and passion for the assignment before us. Put down the shame. Pick up your calling. Stop comparing, and start looking instead at the reasons why the Lord made you and why He placed you where you are.
The leader I was with was not a mistake made by the Lord. And he is not a failure. He is trusted for a season to lead out of his calling. His calling, unique, full of wonder, the path to the organizations future. No more shame!!!
I love this. I used to get really frustrated with not getting many likes and follows on my blog. But I remembered that the important thing is to do what I have to do and leave the results up to God. I now believe in the “one life at a time” idea and it has helped me to appreciated even one soul that gets blessed by my post.
Sometimes I get just one testimony from a post on how it has impacted someone’s life and I just feel overjoyed. Then I tell myself “God inspired that post just for that person”.
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