The Gift of Seasons: Leading Others by Living the Gospel

It seems natural to contemplate what makes a seasoned Christian leader during this season. Easter Sunday was an excellent reminder that our leadership should always come from a humble imitation of Christ. Christ calls us to take our cross and follow him as His disciples. The seasoned Christian leader participates in understanding the wonders that God brings us and the comfort that we receive in Jesus’s ministry, in His grace, and by welcoming and including others into our community. 

Being a seasoned leader also means we have seen many seasons come and go, and we can see these periods through the lens of Christ’s life. Jesus and his disciples lived through times of joy and beauty but experienced pain and sacrifice. Likewise, we understand that with our commitment to the Great Commission and the Great Commandments, we will experience the joy of witnessing God’s work but also have difficult times. 

Philippians 3:10-11 (New Living Translation)

10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

Many aspects of leadership can only be learned through experience and longevity. While every disciple has something unique and important to offer at every stage in their journey, it is only with time and practice that we begin to see the larger picture and truly understand our role and the world around us. Even if you rush through milestones and dedicate all your thoughts and time to becoming a great leader, you cannot gain the wisdom that comes from time. There are no cheat codes or extra credit that will give you the same understanding of the work as patiently walking the path and simply experiencing the joys and pain that come with the journey. 

There is a power in knowing the pain of life. If you have experienced grief, disappointment, weariness, anger or depression, you have also felt God’s hand on you in these times, even if it takes years to see and understand that God was there with you in your darkest moments. Knowing that you persevered through hardship and that God is there for you to lean on allows one to weather future storms with grace and hope. The pain is a gift, truly. It qualifies you to be a guide to others through their difficulties. 

In the next few weeks, we will explore what it means to be a seasoned Christian leader and how our role as mentors, coaches, or professional supervisors helps lift the vitality of those around us. For more information, visit https://vervelead.com/. 

This is a great time of year to slow down and reflect. I have gained a lot of peace from this passage in 2 Corinthians. If you have a few minutes, take the time to follow this link:

2 Corinthians, 1:4-5