Scripture provides us with multiple examples of God’s leaders making plans without him since the beginning of recorded history. Abraham and Sarah grew impatient and decided Abraham would sleep with Hagar (Genesis 16:1 – 4). Moses impulsively killed an Egyptian in a misguided effort to deliver God’s people (Exodus 2:11 – 23). Solomon planned and negotiated deals to build a bigger and better kingdom on the earth without consulting God. The list goes on — from King Saul’s decision to remain on his throne and kill David, to the prophet Jonah running away from God’s command to go to Nineveh.
Making plans for God without listening to him has been standard practice for thousands of years.
In this podcast, I talk about the 3 indispensable questions I ask to stay anchored in making plans and decisions that flow out of deep inner life with God – whether they be in my personal leadership or with a team. They are:
- What is God saying? We want to fulfill the Great Commission and impact the world for Christ, but have you ever considered that your ministry may be growing and yet actually be failing? This is because success in Jesus’ kingdom is, first and foremost, doing what God has asked us to do, in his way, and in his timing.
- How is God coming through our consolations/desolations? This expands on the first question by looking at the contribution of Ignatian discernment to help us listen to the Holy Spirit inside us as we choose between multiple good options.
- How is God speaking through our limits in discernment? Limits are a guardrail, protecting us from straying outside of God’s will and keeping us on his path that often unfolds slowly.
They are God’s gifts in disguise, if we listen to them – but this is a difficult Scriptural truth to embrace in a culture that fights and plans around limits.
Again. let me encourage you to click here for our excellent, free discussion guide on The Emotionally Healthy Leader, so you can talk about this with your team along with the other critical leadership themes that I mention in this podcast (e.g. face your shadow, lead out of your marriage, slow down for loving union, practice sabbath delight).
Enjoy the podcast!
