Whether you began your leadership role with apprehension or stepped into it with gusto, the honeymoon phase of leading is over, and now it feels, well, uncomfortable. Maybe the responsibilities are different than you expected or the challenges greater than you imagined. Regardless, you find yourself in a place you didn’t anticipate, and leadership is no longer enjoyable. In fact, it’s work.
I wonder if Moses dug his heels in against obeying God’s call to lead Israel for some of the same reasons as above.
Can you identify with some of his internal apprehensions when God commissioned him to speak to Pharaoh about freeing the people?
- Inadequate
- Ill-equipped
- Unsuitable
While the holiness of the burning bush moment was not lost on Moses, his first question to God as he hid his face before him, was: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” As one who had access to the palace from a young age, Moses knew his position was far from prestigious or powerful. God answered his question succinctly and yet thoroughly, “I will be with you.”
While Moses continued to question God two more times after this, with each question, God responded with encouragement and empowerment. Finally, Moses stopped questioning God and instead spelled out his personal obstacle, “I don’t have the natural ability or skill set for this.” Maybe God chuckled to himself at that moment and thought, “Moses, you’ve been leading sheep in the wilderness for forty years; it’s time to adapt those skills to humans.”
I feel Moses’ heart in this moment; you too? Leadership isn’t comfortable because no leader is fully equipped in advance for every problem we encounter on the journey. Just as Moses adapted to the children of Israel’s needs, so must leaders grow with the position. Take heart through these three principles you can rely on when leading feels uncomfortable.
- If God has called you to it, he will lead you through it.
I’ve heard this said often but could not find the true source of the quote. However, Moses is surely proof of this principle. As a pillar of cloud by day and fire by night, God led Moses and his people through the wilderness for forty years. While we don’t have the same style of visible proof that Moses did, we have God’s promises to read and hold. We know that we are never alone because God has promised that he is with us. He is with you!
- When things seem out of control, God is always in control.
Proverbs 19:21 reminds us, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.” God will work his purpose and plan no matter our choices or the choices of those under our leadership. One of the keys to Moses’ great leadership was his spirit of humility. A little sidenote in Numbers 12:3 explains, “(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)” Choosing to be humble honors God’s will and way. God is always seeking humble hearts turned towards him.
- There is no problem so small that God doesn’t want to hear about it.
It’s easy as a leader to think, “This issue wouldn’t be a problem for someone else. I wish I knew what to do.” There is no problem too minute for prayer. When the pressure of casting vision feels too large and the pain of aligning with the mission too strong, stop trying to look ahead to plan and, instead, look up to pray. “Prayer trumps panic. Every. Time.” – One More Step
Question: Which of the above principles meets you in your leadership journey? We’d love to hear about it in the comments!
About Rachel Wojo
Rachel Wojo is an entrepreneur from Columbus, Ohio, who self-started and developed a blog to business platform over the last decade. She is the director of Speak Up Growth Groups and podcaster at Untangling Life. Rachel hosts Bible reading challenges on her popular blog, rachelwojo.com, which rallies readers of all ages to search God’s Word for solutions to life’s problems. Her site has over 30,000 subscribers, and her six-week Bible reading plan for children is used by more than four million people worldwide. Her biblical approach, coupled with her life circumstances, influences women to find strength and hope for everyday situations. Rachel is the author of One More Step: Finding Strength When You Feel Like Giving Up. Her experience includes traditional-publishing, self-publishing, email list management, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest development. She is also a public speaker and contributor to well-known faith-based publications for companies, such as Dayspring and Girlfriends in God. Rachel’s list of works includes 2 ebooks, 14 self-published books, 2 traditionally-published books, and 3 traditionally-published collaborative works. Rachel is crazy in love with Matt, mom to six on earth and two in heaven. Find her at rachelwojo.com.