Biblical Leadership: God’s Plan for Your LeadershipSample

2. Start by Looking Back

We are going to start the process of finding out if you’re in the right job and what God’s plans for your leadership talent might be by looking back.

Whatever position you’re in now, there’s a reason you accepted it and, as a first step to seeing where God might be leading, let’s look back to see how you got to where you are today.

Remember the story of Joseph? His retelling of the dreams in which his brothers bowed down to him? And how that ended up with them selling him into slavery? (Genesis 37:3-10)

Although Joseph never forgot those dreams, he probably wondered how they fit into his new life as a manager for Potiphar, or as a prisoner in a foreign jail. It wasn’t until after he started working as second-in-command for the ruler that the true meaning of the dreams fell into place.

Or how about the story of Moses? Educated in the palaces of Egypt, he probably didn’t reflect much on those times when he was working as a shepherd in the deserts of Midian. Not much anyway until God called him back to those same palaces to face Pharaoh for the liberation of the Israelites. (Exodus 4:18-23)

In both cases and in many others God has given specific experiences that applied only much later in the “leadership careers” of both Joseph and Moses.

The same is still true today. God will have provided and will continue to provide experiences and insights to you as preparation for your future leadership calling. 

Many people find it helpful to journal their experiences over time, as a way to keep a record of how God may be moving in their lives.

What seemed impossible yesterday, might be fact today and vice versa. What seems so certain an outcome yesterday might be completely impossible today.

With all the day-to-day changes in your work environment, it’s important to be able to see God’s hand in preparing you for the leadership position He wants to give you in the months or years ahead.

Compare this to how we evaluate career and leadership opportunities in the “real world.”

At our workplace and institutes of higher learning, we’re taught to think rationally about every opportunity. Mostly, we’re taught to analyze and evaluate our work choices to find the best opportunity for promotion, job security, application of our talent, and so on. All of it leading to the best position in the right organization.

But, that’s not really what life and, therefore, by extension what your leadership career choices are all about, is it?

Your choices need to include God and His Plan for your life, not just your own interests, goals, or pocketbook. 

So when you accepted the position you are now in, what was the reason to do so?

Do you think that God had a specific plan for you in that position, and if so, have you accomplished that plan already?

Sometimes we are called to wait and, at other times we are called to move fast. Joseph and Moses waited for years before God’s Plan for their lives became visible to them. On the other hand, Mary & Saul (Paul) were confronted in a way that required immediate change.

As you track God’s hand in your leadership career over time, you too may see how God has been leading a certain direction and how this may require sudden action or a more measured response.

And, as you think about your situation, reflect on this verse from wise King Solomon:

A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.  – Proverbs 16:9 NKJV

As you consider your options, remember Joseph and Moses, and know that the career graveyard and the list of God’s unfulfilled plans are filled with premature decisions. 

Reflection / Application

1. Have you seen God’s hand at work in preparing you for the future? How do you track His involvement?
2. Remembering the reason you accepted the position you are now in, can you see whether or not God’s purposes for placing you there have been fulfilled? 
3. Do you feel God’s prompting to stay or make a change from where you are now? How are you experiencing that?