Leading Through Discouragment

Today's Reading: Nehemiah 4 & Luke 23:26-43

Scripture:

"All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it." Nehemiah 4:8

Observation:

Discouragement comes. Anything in life worth pursuing is tough to pursue. But the weight of the work is not the only thing that you have to deal with; you also have to deal with the attitudes of people. People outside the work will mock you and come against you. The people you are leading through the work will become weary from the burden you carry.

That is the situation Nehemiah faced and through it he models a few good examples of how to lead through discouragement.

Application:

First, stay above it. Nehemiah did not deny the weight of the situation but he kept himself from descending into the discouragement. The speed of the team equals the speed of the leader. If I lose heart with my teams; my teams will fall apart. They count on me being healthy.

Second, acknowledge it with action. By having the people assemble to defend weak parts of the wall, Nehemiah showed the people that he understood the source of the discouragement, that it was real, and he was taking action against it. The people I lead have to know that I am not disconnected from reality. I have to find ways to validate the discouragement but also not let people just wallow in it.

Third, have a vision of God that is bigger than the problem. Nehemiah's vision of God was much larger than the destroyed walls, the opposition he faced, and the mood of his team. He called the team to that vision. I must have a vision of God that is bigger than the work. This is not the same as just having thoughts of God. I must own a vision of God that is real and tangible enough for me to share it with my teams.

Finally, put feet to faith. Nehemiah trusted God but he worked his tail off. He took very practical measures, doubled the work load, and carried on with the task at hand. It is sometimes hard to push people on, but I must remember that the shortest route to overcoming discouragement is to complete the task at hand.

Prayer:

I ask that You guard my heart. My life is full of opposition and struggle right now. Discouragement is not hard to find and it can become really difficult to stay above it and continue on with what You have given me to do.

It is essential that I have a relationship with You that is greater than the issues I face. It is critical that my vision of You be real and tangible enough that I can confidently and powerfully share it with others. I ask for the benefit of those I lead that You pour Yourself out on me daily so that I may find the strength I need to stay in the fights that I face.

Father my life is not mine, it is Yours. All that I have and all that I am I lay at Your feet. The only thing I desire is to be in Your presence and know that You are pleased with what I do.