Dear Leader, It’s ok to Grieve!
Pastor Priji shares these precious lessons from the life of King David about the kind of qualities that can set us up to be the kind of leaders that God wants us to be!
We assume leadership comes with authority and those involved in the ministry and church. Leadership is carrying the responsibility God has given us irrespective at which point in time it has been assigned to us. The moment we represent Jesus, influence others and have an impact on their lifestyles; we are called to be leaders. Despite others not knowing or acknowledging your influence in their lives, it is the desire to carry out responsibility which makes you a leader.
In this context, David had a following of warriors even before he was the King which was a testimony to his life as they were there during every circumstance of his life. If your followers follow you because of the benefits they have because of you, it is a point for you to be careful. David did not have position and still had loyal followers. This is a real test for your followers. We need to blame ourselves, because we feed the desires of their heart and fall into the prey to their needs. We tend to become God in their lives.
If you are a leader satisfying a materialistic or a physical need, you are not leading them in the right way. David had no plan but knew God’s plan and yet because of the man he was, a group of people followed him. Do not run after people’s loyalty and appreciation; run after God and eventually they will align to your path. Do everything to please God and His purpose, people will come to you. Noah pursued God but did not have many followers, John the Baptist also the same. We tend to determine our leadership success based on our followers, but what matters is how much you pour out for God and serve His people.
We tend to become upset if people move on and leave us which is a deep insecurity. Let us uproot every insecurity from our heart. People will honour you when they see the fruit in your life and they will bless you. When people came to Jesus, he did not fall for praises and flattery. Let us draw healthy boundaries from our followers.
As leaders, we are very oblivious to the challenges that we are faced with. And some of us, do not believe in the idea of grieving and lamenting on the concept of being broken. David being anointed, wept and wept until he could weep no more. We all have circumstances; we feel we need to mask our feelings. Jesus also cried at the grave of Lazarus even being sure that he is going to raise Lazarus. Jesus, the perfect leader expressed his brokenness. We assume leadership makes us disconnect our feelings but leadership requires us to be more vulnerable. Paul was vulnerable to the people who was trustworthy about his fear of life.
David had to create change and take God’s directions but he did not start here but he did by lamenting and grieving in the presence of God. Job also grieved in the presence of God, but God never associated it with the lack of his faith and worship. When we see someone grieving we tend to equate it to the lack of faith. In the book of Psalms, the real feelings were brought out and were bring vulnerable to them. Let us not be guilty of being vulnerable.
David began in a place of brokenness but did not let it be his identity. He was vulnerable but did not stay in that situation even though he had nobody to encourage him but he strengthened himself receiving it from God. Let no failure become your identity and raise with strength from the Lord taking up the mantle which has been placed for you.
Let us have the right perspective of the people following us, to having the willingness to be broken and vulnerable and not let our failure become our identity.