Have you experienced a deeply honest moment in your leadership when you wondered if God was with you?
I’m not referring to your salvation and the promise of eternal life. I trust you know that is settled. (Ephesians 2:8) I’m talking about your confidence that He is actually with you and partnering with you in your ministry.
Are there times when you struggle to sense God’s presence and power in your ministry?
I’ve experienced moments where I felt the silence of heaven. God’s Word says He answers but I couldn’t hear Him. It’s a frightening feeling.
What is your experience?
- Have there been times when you prayed, but not fully confident God heard you? King David expressed that feeling in many Psalms.
- Have you experienced problems and pressures so large, so weighty and complex that you were’t sure God was aware?
- Have you been hurt or experienced such great loss that you can’t seem to find a sense of God’s comfort, peace and joy?
I don’t know a leader who has completely escaped any experience like these or something similar.
The tension is that intellectually we know God is with us, His Word confirms it. Here are a couple of my favorite leadership examples from the Old Testament.
To Moses:
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” And God said, “I will be with you. . . . “
Exodus 3:11-12
The Lord replied, [to Moses] “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Exodus 33:14
To Joshua:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
Joshua 1:9
Yet, we all experience those times of seeming distance.
Truth we can be reassured by:
1) We know God is with us, but under the pace and pressure of life and leadership, we become focused more on solutions than His presence.
Circumstances do not determine God’s presence, and His power is not limited to our understanding. He remains at work, and his purposes will not be defeated.
- We know God is with us by the promise of His Word.
- We know God is with us by the presence of the Holy Spirit and inner peace.
- We know God is with us from our experience.
- We know God is with us from the stories of others.
2) God often defines success differently than we do. There are seasons when I was focused on growing the church and God was trying to grow me.
We all want to see our Church grow. God does too, but it’s up to Him how large it grows and when.
I’m grateful to have learned that in God’s kindness He first wants to grow the leader before He grows the Church. Think about it, if God granted favor beyond our spiritual maturity or ability to lead, He would be hurting us not blessing us.
3) Your ministry has eternal Kingdom impact. There will be times when the Enemy will mess with your faith in attempt to discourage you.
When our perspective is off center; we can perceive that God is distant, but the truth is He is near. It is our thoughts that lead us astray. Fears, worry, discouragement, overwhelm etc., can do that. The Enemy loves it and works to use it against.
The apostle John writes to us: You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
I John 4:4
In tough seasons when you don’t sense God’s favor, He is still with you.
In this season when we emphasize the birth of Jesus our Savior; “Emmanuel – God with us,” remember that’s true all the time!
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
Matthew 1:23
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10
Two practices that make a big difference:
1) Experience the community of prayer
The invitation from God to each of us to pray anytime – anywhere is always open.
We are also blessed with the privilege to participate in the community of prayer.
There is something unique and special, powerful in fact, when believers gather to pray together. Something supernatural is released into the experience at an exponential level. The Holy Spirit is at work and if one of us is weak, the faith of others in the room is felt and can be experienced by all.
Every Saturday morning at 12Stone Church, we gather to pray at 9:00am. It’s not a large group but it’s powerful and all are welcome. It’s an informal gathering that always carries biblical intentionality, spiritual intimacy, and Kingdom authority. We pray for the worship services that will take place the next day. The presence and power of God is evident during that time of prayer. I love to attend every time I can and always come away blessed.
Find your place that you can pray with the body of Christ focused specifically on the Kingdom matters of your church.
2) Refresh your faith by retracing your spiritual story
Whenever I’m not seeing what God sees, I recount my own personal story of God’s faithfulness. I can’t always see clearly what is still unfolding before me, but by looking back, I see God’s hand clearly. My faith is renewed.
“God is too good to be unkind. He is too wise to be confused. If I cannot trace His hand, I can always trust His heart.”
– C.H. Spurgeon (adapted to first person)
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:16-20
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
Psalm 145:18
