Your position is temporary not permanent. Okay lets get this sorted out quickly. First there is something to be said about staying power and the effects a great leader has on a team, especially when they have the time to implement the strategy. It’s amazing and wonderful. Yet sometimes we can become yesterdays anointing rather quickly. Or God can move us on to something bigger. It’s up to God anyway. And unless He has personally told you that this will be your position till you die then plan to hand it over. If you think this is a permanent position then it will be a challenge not to let it become an idol. Train up people around you to take the position and run. That’s why God gave us the following generation. I seriously want to go on a cruise and let the next generation sort some of the planning out. Embrace that fact and plan for it. It will create the sense of urgency and focus you into completing what God has called you to do.
Your position is a privilege not a right. When you stepped into the position in women’s ministry you stepped into partnership with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This is a privilege, not a right. How many people have you met that truly thought they were in a position because they were gifted and talented and in reality they weren’t. Can you say “awkward!” Or how about the lady who is gifted and talented but a leader she was not. It is a privilege to serve. I like the saying, “We don’t give to get. We get to give.” That’s what it means to be in a position.
Your position is about faithfulness not achievement. We all step into roles with plans and goals that we set to achieve, we strive for them. We dream enormous dreams and then faithfully carry them out. Let’s be more faithful conscious than goal conscious. Not saying goals aren’t important they are. It is better to finish than to start. However being faithful means:
- faithful to God - staying saved is the most important thing you do.
- faithful to the service - serving when you don’t feel like it or when you think it is too hard
- faithful to the relationships - fighting for the relationships on your team and those you serve are way more important than achieving some goal. God is a God of relationships. Don’t throw away your relationships because you have to lower yourself and apologize. Now if they don’t want to continue on with the relationship you move on. You can’t make them be your friend.
Your position is about them not you. The world has more than enough narcissistic leaders. It doesn’t need one more. Being a leader is not about you, in fact it has never been about you. Ministry is about serving and promoting others. It is about loving each other and putting them before yourself. Let’s loose the celebrity mentality and be a leader that’s reachable and touchable. I understand there are times you need to steal away and have some quiet time. Just don’t be rude about it.
Your position is about stewardship not ownership. Being a steward is different than being an owner. As a Christian, I believe that God owns it all.
Your position will require more than you can provide on your own. This is a great place to be because now you have to lean on God. You have to get a word from the Lord. You can’t do this on your own. If you have been showing up to your meetings, your one on ones, your bible studies with the attitude I can do this with my eyes shut, you need a wake up call. Making disciples of people and ministries are easy, you can do that with your eyes shut. Making disciples of Christ takes way more time and energy and a whole lot of the Holy Spirit.
Good post. In fact, I read several of them and they were all very good. Good blog.
ReplyDeleteI linked here from Julie's blog.