We have been looking over the past few weeks as a church at what it is to be a leader, lately my view has changed some what.
Historically the view of a leader in a church context is someone who preaches, who stands up at the front and leads a big group of people, however I have come to understand that leadership means influence… something that we all do every day, whether we like it or not, in whatever walk of life we are in.
Today I will influence somebody and in some way today most likely you will too.
So the real question is, what influence do we bring? We can either bring negativity not making any positive difference or we can influence for good and potentially bring incredible change and hope to another. The more we allow God to change our hearts to look like him, the more we bring a positive difference to others.
Sometimes as human beings we can be really selfish and only think about ourselves; My life, my family, my education, my job, my house, my car etc. But God has asked us to live differently, he asks us to love others and give to them.
In the summer this year 2018, I personally went through a very difficult time within myself. God was speaking to me about many things in my life and re-positioning my heart and thinking and lining it up with his. Although this was difficult at the time, in the long run it brings the greatest joy. Brokenness seems hard but brings great fruit.
For the first time in 26 years my husband and myself were not having a holiday with our 4 children, but through circumstances ended up having a holiday for just the 2 of us.
It was a wonderful time but also a difficult time as God used this time to speak to my heart. I sat on the balcony looking out over the view above (which is now sketched in heart) and through many tears he shared many things with me.
Hopefully it will help you as I share what God shared with me…
WILLINGNESS – In Matthew 26 Jesus prayed ‘If there is anyway I don’t have to do this, yet what I want is not important for I only desire to fulfil your plan for me.’ Wow these words penetrate my heart. Jesus faced the worst imaginable situation and yet he was prepared to do whatever it took out of pure obedience to fulfil the dream of God.
How many of us live for our own dream and not the dream of God?
God wants us to dream, we were born to dream, God wants to set us free to dream if we struggle in this area, but God is asking us to carry his dream. Our own dream that we want is not the best anyway – the dream of God for us is the best possible dream there could ever be for you and me, but am I willing to submit to it? Are you willing?
This year in January whilst visiting the church of our pastors, Cesar and Claudia Castellanos, I was visiting a local mall and I had my bag stolen. Out of the many things that were in that bag, one of my most treasured possessions was my dream book (A book where is had been keeping my 1, 5 and 10 year dreams for the past few years). I was devastated to lose that book, but God spoke so clearly to me and told me that he was happy the book had gone and he could now give me his dreams!
There is a cost to being willing to follow the dream of God – Jesus paid a huge cost and I have had to count that cost this year. When the going gets tough will we walk away or be willing to pay the price?
Today I have had to determine that I will willingly serve the dream of God, no matter the cost for me. I want my life to reflect his dream and his heart. That means pushing through, no matter what it looks like. All God needs from us is a willing heart!
To be continued in ‘The heart of a leader (3)’
Author – Pastor Julie Nundy