Lead Strong: Leadership Lessons From The Bible - Part 3Sample

Leaders Are Worshipers

Leadership is hard. We bump up against each other, hurtful words are flung, our pride gets in the way, decisions are made we don’t understand…the list goes on.

When life is hard, what do we do next? Throw a pity party? Stomp our feet? Mumble a curse word under our breath? Post a nasty message on Facebook? Give the silent treatment? Throw a fist in the air at God?

Job’s response to the madness of life in Job 1-3 amazes me. In the midst of extreme pain, Job immediately worships God. Repeatedly we read “not once through all this did Job sin; not once did he blame God.” (Job 1:22)

In my own painful moments, worshiping God hasn’t always been my go-to next step. Too often I recognize the bad and stay there, rather than recognizing the bad and choosing to worship God in the midst of it.

I think if I were to begin worshiping God rather than stomping my feet angrily because life didn’t unpack how I had dreamed and planned, something miraculous would happen in my story. Something miraculous would happen in me.

Job’s decision to worship God was rooted in his trust in God. If we really believe God is a good, good Father, what stops us from running straight to His arms when our hearts have been bruised?

God knows us. He sees us. He knows our stories and our pain. He loves us more than we'll ever really understand. He invites us to come running into His arms recognizing the ugly that’s swirling around us, looking up saying, “Daddy, I don’t get this. I’m hurting. But I trust you because you are good, and I know you’re a good, good Father.”

Will we always get an answer or resolution? No. But we will experience incredible peace by trusting in our good, good God.

When questioned by his wife about his unshakable faith in Job 2:10, Job responded in a way we can all embrace when the rainy days crash in on us: “We take the good days from God—why not also the bad days?”

When life is hard, what we do next defines the rest of our story. The decision is up to us. We can choose to forfeit our faith in anger, stomping away from the One who made us, or we can worship Him.

What will you choose?

By Emily Cummins