I met with a Christian leader, and we got onto the topic, How do you lead in a storm? How do you lead a church or organization or ministry or business or family in times of hardship, conflict and crisis, so that everyone comes out the other side stronger, wiser, better?
– Well, here’s the answer in 2 easy steps
– Of course, it’s not that easy.
Not quite. But it’s maybe easier than we think.
First, much of the Bible narrates and gives specific guidance for this very thing. Most of the stories of biblical leadership “ Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Esther, Nehemiah, Paul, Jesus, and many more“ are stories of leading in a storm. Joseph survives his brothers’ evil and rescues his brothers from their plight, and in the meanwhile saves a whole country from disaster.
Moses faces down Pharaoh. Joshua faces down Jericho. Nehemiah overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to rebuild a city’s walls and a community’s hope. Paul endures a juggernaut of opposition to fulfill his mission. And Jesus, for the joy set before him, endured the cross, scorning its shame.
– Or just look at history: all great leaders were refined in fire, tested by storm.
– All of these examples are there for us to glean their lessons.
Second, the deepest reality is that God is bigger than your storm. He’s bigger than any storm. If we don’t believe this, we’ll be like the disciples (many who were fishermen and should have been used to storms) panicking by the wind and the waves. If we do believe it, we’ll walk on water.
Are you in a storm? At work? In your home? In your finances? Take courage from leaders who’ve gone before you and weathered storms, most worse than yours.
And take strength in knowing God is bigger than any and every storm, yours included.
