A Leader’s Most important Resource
From managing, developing, and asking for more, resources are constantly on the mind of any good leader. As a leader, it is also important to prioritize those resources.
I think there is one resource that dwarfs the others when it comes to our longevity, fruitfulness and development in ministry.
Our relationship with the Lord.
Sure, there is time, money and the people on our teams and in our families, but all of these do not compare to the exponential impact of a growing relationship with the Lord.
So how do you find the time to continue to foster a growing relationship with God in the midst of people that need you, work that needs to be done, and a world that needs to surrender to Christ?
There are 3 key areas to focus on.
Personal Devotion
Prayer
Praise
Personal Devotion
When I say personal devotion, I am speaking specifically of the practices that you commit yourself to. Often we equate this idea with isolated practices of Bible Study and Solitude and while these are essential, personal devotion is also something lived out in a in a local church body.
Here are some focus questions to determine if you are fostering personal devotion with the Lord.
Have I kept God up to date with the things in my heart, on my mind, and through the use of my hands?
Does my life with others reflect my personal time with the Lord? Are there inconsistencies here? Why is that?
Which area of practice should I give my attention to now?
Our personal devotion keeps us from anxiety, fear, and stress as we live as people of character and integrity.
Prayer
Prayer is the most important discipline. It puts us in a posture of dependence on God and ultimately puts us in the right place in relationship. But in our culture prayer is often neglected. For leaders, prayer is often neglected as an excuse for lack of technique or wisdom. We are all beginners in prayer. This quote from J.C. Ryle sums it up nicely:
“Prayer needs neither learning, wisdom or book knowledge to begin it. It needs nothing but heart and will.”
Prayer connects us with God and keeps us planted in the streams of life with him.
Praise
You might be shocked to see this as an area of focus. But praise is like the label of our hearts. Our worship tells us about the state of our heart and relationship with Christ. If your personal devotion to Christ and your prayer life are functioning the inevitable outcome is a heart overflowing with praise and worship.
Is praise a natural outflow in your daily life or is this something you feel you are having to manufacture in your life?
“Praise should be the natural result of a life lived in a growing relationship with Christ.”
