I’m a little late with this 3rd post but Easter put me a little behind. Today I’m wrapping up my observations on leadership lessons from Christ on his final days leading to the cross.
Watching Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane gives me an incredible insights into one of the most important leadership lessons I can learn.
Mark 14:36 “Abba, Father, he said, ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
Someone once said that self-leadership is the hardest form of leadership. I couldn’t agree more.
While I would like to blame many of my challenges, struggle,s and issues on the people around me I’m trying to lead I’ve discovered that I’m often my own worst enemy.
It’s not them. It’s me.
My pride.
My desires.
My selfishness.
My ego.
My ambitions.
MY WILL.
Jesus was a leader who lived up to His complete calling and mission because He was willing to sacrifice His will for God’s will. You will never be the leader God’s called and designed you to become until you’re willing to surrender and sacrifice to God’s will.
The single most important prayer any leader can pray: Yet not what I will, but what you will.
Are you willing to pray that prayer?
And, Lord, transform my mind that I will recognize Your will… and not rationalize mine as Yours….
Tony York’s last blog post..Religious Boredom
yes yes yes.
grace s. cartwright’s last blog post..i found God.
The hardest prayer to pray, but the most important.
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That is the prayer that scares me the most. Seriously. I am afraid of what God will expect of me if I pray that one, and so I cannot yet pray it sincerely.
Hope someday I can say it, and mean it with all my heart.
Jan C.’s last blog post..Excuse me while I go and change my Depends . . . .
I’ve just started Beth Moore’s Esther study at our church, and where I expected 5-6 women, I have 32! I’ve suddenly been cast into a leadership role over women twice my age, and my prayer week after week has been that the Lord do it, everything, because I can’t stand the thought of trying to do even one tiny thing by myself. My flesh is too self-serving to trust for even a moment.
And so yes, as difficult as it may be at times, Lord, I want Your will over mine.
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I am also terrified to pray those words. I’m taking baby steps in this realm though by asking God to expose His will to me each day. So far, I know I’ve been called to serve in different areas of my church including welcoming the visitors. A bit out of my comfort zone for sure. I’m scared of God’s will but that is,of course,because it is not my own. I know He is my reason to worship regardless of the season or situation I find myself in. Will I pray that prayer? Absolutely. I’ve been putting it off far too long as it is.
this is a prayer that i’ve LEARNED to pray. the cool thing about God is that while, yes, He requires us to lay down our lives, true fulfillment is only found when we do so. so, while it seems hard, in the end His will makes life much easier.
but, i still struggle to allow God to work in me.
@Sarah, my wife Brandi has been leading that study and she loves it. I’ll be praying for you. That is so exciting!
My problem isn’t that I don’t pray that prayer, it’s that I pray it and then I take it back. I start out after the lion and then give into fear and run the other way.
Julie’s last blog post..The Resurrection and My Life
Not mine but His. Tough words to pray even when I KNOW His plan for me is far better than mine.
I’m learning that the idea of control is just that, an idea. It’s not a reality. I’m NOT in control, I’m just trying to hang on. When I give it over to God it brings me this incredible freedom that only comes with submission to Christ.
It’s in this freedom I find the joy of serving God. It’s in this freedom I find the incredible grace that God rains down on me. It’s in this freedom I find the WILL of God.
Lord, not mine but Yours.
Simple words to write and easy to live WHEN things are going my way. Much harder when you’re a bit battered and beaten by the world. Harder when you feel alone and lonely. Much harder when you stand alone and not with the crowd.
Pete thanks for challenging me to think about what it means to lead.
Mary’s last blog post..God is and I’m not
There are good things in our lives, and THEN there is God’s perfect will. Good things are like the fruit of God’s goodness, and His perfect will for our lives is the fellowship with the One that will never leave us. I love the transparent conversation. What you see is what you get!
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That prayer is one that will free us from ourselves. When we actually surrender our lives to His it is amazing what He will do.
I have prayed that prayer and really had a struggle on giving over my “control” of a certain situation in my life. I could actually feel the struggle between my heart and head. Praise God…I gave it over and now He is blessing me for it!
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great post pete. had my peeps at 316Networks.com repost this entry on their site today. good stuff bro.
http://316networks.com
Thanks for sharing Pete. I think many pastors struggle with trying to control everything. We have ideas, plans, processes, and programs that we have created. To really trust God means that we have to lay aside some of our “plans’ to trust in God’s plan. We have to continually stay connected to God so we can hear His voice and allow God to lead what we do.
Mike’s last blog post..Easter Wrapup
2 Corinthians 4:5 ” for we preach not of ourselves but Christ Jesus our Lord”…
I need that today!!
After years of trying to give God a break by trying to take care of stuff, myself… I’ve been asking His will in many areas of my life. The hardest part for me is trying to figure out if He’s leading. I really do desire to do His will.
Julie – I’m so with you on that – say the prayer and then take it back.
Ouch – this is a tough one – one I’ve been challenged with so much lately, and one that that I’m no where near disciplined on.
@Mike, just glad to hear other pastors struggle with all of this as well.