Direct your focus toward yourself and be cautious about passing judgment on the actions of others (Matthew 7:1; Romans 15:1). As a general rule, criticizing others is only sometimes beneficial. That’s because it is often prone to error and invites dark, negative thinking to creep in (Ecclesiastes 3:16). On the contrary, evaluating and reflecting on yourself is always beneficial.
It is so common to perceive things as we imagine them to be, clouding our perspective due to personal biases – NOT the way things actually are. Life’s challenges have this consistent way of inviting me to stop living in God’s truth, and instead tempt me to do what seems right for myself. You know, “If it feels good, do it” or “It seems right to me to…” or maybe “Any reasonable person in this situation would…” But if our ultimate desire is solely focused on the truth, then external opposition to our opinions wouldn't so easily disturb us. And we would see things clearly, as God sees them. However, external factors often influence and divert us toward a self-centered approach. So the idea then is to ask ourselves: How does God see this? And how do I find out how God sees it?
When we are stuck in our own imaginations, we unconsciously seek self-fulfillment in our actions. We appear content when things align with our desires but oh so quickly become agitated and disheartened if circumstances deviate from the path or outcomes we imagined. But be forewarned, variances in feelings and opinions can strain relationships, even among those who are religious and devout (Matthew 12:25).
Breaking this old pattern of getting things accomplished according to our own desires is challenging (Jeremiah 13:23), and people are generally unwilling to follow what they themselves cannot see. So help others to see things clearly – God’s way. Relying more on your intellect or hard work than on surrendering to Jesus Christ's guidance will hinder the journey toward clarity.
So here is the central point: God desires all of our focus in leadership to be in complete submission to Him and urges us to think of the goals we want to be achieved with love, in ways that transcend our own personal human ‘logic.’
Illustrative story: A movie came out in 2019 entitled ‘A Hidden Life.’ It is a profound film produced by Terrence Malik. In my estimation, it is one of the best movies I have ever watched that demonstrates the difficulty of doing things God’s way, in the face of everyone around saying otherwise. In this movie, even church leaders were commending the main character away from his Godly convictions!
According to the Internet Movie Database, A Hidden Life (based on real events) “is the story of an unsung hero, Franz Jägerstätter, who refused to fight for the Nazis in World War II. When the Austrian peasant farmer is faced with the threat of execution for treason, it is his unwavering faith and his love for his wife, Fani, and children that keeps his spirit alive” and convicted to do the right thing.
The real-life conclusion to the story: Franz has been beatified by the Roman Catholic church in 2007. You can hear more of his story here.
Lead Well! Lead with Conviction.
Rev Dr Darren Roorda
