Sometimes we are in so much of a hurry to reach the next goal that we fail to take time to enjoy what we’ve achieved so far.
Take time to enjoy your achievements. There may never be another time for that.
life
Share with someone this season
They may not deserve it but they need it.
Merry Christmas to you all.
Selflessness: A leader’s heart
Let’s examine an episode in the rich life of King David that is recorded in Second Samuel chapter 15.
David is informed about the conspiracy against his leadership organized by his son Absalom.
He has the man power and ability to overthrow this rebellion and maintain his position as king. This can be verified by the number and caliber of enemies he’s defeated in the past.
But David decides to flee. He leaves the throne and the glory and gets out of Jerusalem.
Why does the King decide to flee in spite of his ability to overthrow his adversary?
- In verse 14 of the above passage he explains to his entourage that if he stays behind Absalom will destroy the city and endanger innocent lives. He does not want to put other people’s lives in danger because of his leadership position.
- The selfless love he has for his son will not allow him to stand and fight even if he has the full right to do so.
- He puts his trust in God and believes that the God who put him on the throne is well able to restore him to his position if necessary (2 Samuel 15:25-26).
- David does not carry the Ark of the Covenant of God out of the city as a sure protection for himself. He gives priority to the people and asks the priest to carry the Ark back to the city.
- Christian leadership puts God first, the people second and then self interest later.
- A Christian leader considers himself/herself as a servant and a steward of God’s inheritance and grace. He’s not the proprietor.
What do you think about leaders who will rather see their people suffer than step down from power?
When people leave
Every leader will experience this at least once in a life time; people who choose to leave rather than stay. You’ve worked together, you’ve planned the future together; you’ve even invested a great deal into their lives, then one day they choose to leave the church, business, company, brand …
This can be a fairly bitter pill to swallow especially when they leave at a time you really need their services. It is therefore important to prepare oneself against such an eventuality by keeping it in mind that no matter how well you treat your team members some will always have a reason to leave.
- Search for greener pastures
- Discontent about some issue (for instance your leadership style).
- Call to other duties
- Incapacitation
The list continues.
As the leader, your reaction to this will reflect your level of maturity and the quality of your leadership. How will you react to such a situation?
- Brand them as traitors and unfaithful collaborators?
- Accuse a competitor for taking away (stealing) your members/customers?
- Accuse the devil for coming after you?
- Just slump into your seat and hope it doesn’t happen another time?
Rather than look around for whom to blame why not do a thorough self-examination?
- Am I giving them what they need?
- Do I know what they need?
- Do they feel fulfilled working with me?
- Have I done something wrong?
- Have I been listening to their complaints?
- Have I departed from the original vision they submitted to?
- Am I a good leader? Will I like to submit under my own leadership?
A good leader takes the blame first before investigating the cause.
It’s not wise to quickly name and blame others while exempting yourself from the responsibility.
It could be an opportunity for you to go in for self-improvement.
Very few people will choose to leave a winning team and even fewer still, will quit a place where they get satisfaction.
And if you think you gave them the best, but they left anyway, you will have a cool head and a clean conscience.
Some people come into our lives for a reason, some for a season and some for life. Get to know who is in your life and for what purpose.
The hardest part of Christianity:The crucified life
If I’m sharing this, it’s not because I’ve crossed the finished line and can now turn around and mentor those who are still behind. I still have my own struggles in this area; but as I learn, I share to bless others.
What does it mean to live the crucified life?
- Putting God first in everything I do. Not seeking my own pleasure first, but seeking to please Him first.
- Always seeking to know what He desires and wants me to do in each situation.
- Willingness to suffer rejection, humiliation, persecution and pain for His sake.
- The willingness to accept His will even at my own inconvenience.
- Acceptance that my own wishes, desires, will and pleasure are valid only if He validates them.
- Refusal to take the glory for any victory won, but giving all the glory to Him.
- The ability to say “Thy will be done”, from the very bottom of my heart.
Folks, this is the hardest part of Christianity and those who have attained to it receive of His spirit without measure.
May the Lord Himself help us to attain to such full stature so that we can indeed be His ambassadors on the earth.
Leadership
The dividing line between success and failure in life could be
the kind of leadership we submit to.
Whose follower are you?
Who inspires your decisions and actions?
Time and Purpose
Every human being is entitled to 24 hours a day.
What you choose to do with your own 24
Will determine the quality of life you live now and in the future.
And don’t expect an “anti-clockwise miracle”
To bring back the wasted years.
The frustrations of a mentee
My expectations are not his priorities.
My passions do not move him.
His goals for me do not tie with my expectations.
He doesn’t seem to respect my heart’s desires.
He’s too busy to listen.
He didn’t even reply to my last mail.
I seem to be building his house while mine is slowly falling to ruins.
He doesn’t want me to leave although I know the relationship is over.
He loves me so much and I don’t know how to quit…
You want my opinion? Look at reality in the face and stop deceiving yourself. If you must quit, quit. If you must change mentors do so and if you must make it in life then face him (her) and be honest. Time wasted will never be regained.
TRANSITIONS; A BLESSING OR A CURSE?
Necessary but very painful. Yes, that is how I describe transitions; that moment when you are required to leave the familiar and move into the unknown. That time when you have to wait in the queue for the next instruction. That time of uncertainty and a lot of questions with few or no answers? My flesh does not like it; so does yours.
Why are transitions important? Why are they so inevitable?
A. You might have messed up so badly and God wants to put you on “pause” so He can fix some of your stuff before sending you further afield. If you race ahead at such a moment you could get hurt.
B. You’ve finished the last task of the last assignment and you need to go to a higher level. You need to be trained and prepared for your next level in life. God does not want you going places and doing things you are not prepared for.
C. God is working behind the scenes, touching some buttons, tuning some hearts and convicting some sponsors for you. So you need to wait for those arrangements to work out before you can take the next step. If you rush ahead you could miss out on some great opportunities.
D. God wants your attention, your full attention. He’s been trying to talk to you for ever and you never seem to get it. He loves you too much to let you get into a mess, so He has put you on “pause” so that you can finally look up to Him, even if in annoyance. Yes. It can be annoying at times to not know why nothing seems to be working out as planned.
Why is there so much unease during moments of transition?
Our flesh hates to wait. We are always in a hurry to catch up with the latest fashion, technology and moves of the day.
You just turned 40 and you are still the only lady in your neighborhood who goes to parties alone; no companion.
You are almost fifty and while your friends are living in their dream houses you are still moving your family from one neighborhood to another. The pressure is too much and you can’t understand why it is at such a moment that God has decided to “pause” your life.
Your friends in ministry are taking tremendous strides, conquering more territory and you just seem to be marking time on the spot. You get frustrated.
This is the time we must get as close to God as never before because it is also the time when the most subtle temptations come. You will be tempted to take a shorter course out of God’s will, to compromise your faith or even to backslide completely.
The devil will present you with all kinds of alternative and counterfeits. If you are not close to God to know His perfect will for your life you could end up marrying the wrong person, investing in the wrong business, buying the wrong house, traveling to the wrong destination….
The most effective tool in handling transitions is waiting on God. Take hold of Him and refuse to let go until you know his blue print for the next level
Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength; they will mount up on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).
Leadership and Purpose 