by Dr. Richard Blackaby
Over the years I have met many well-meaning leaders who were plagued with baggage. They meant well, but no matter how hard they worked or how boldly they dreamed, their efforts were always shackled by their personal limitations. These men and women experienced enormous frustration and disappointment. They sensed God wanted to do far more through them than He was, but nothing they tried could break free from mediocrity that continually plagued their efforts. Many of these people eventually quit trying and resigned themselves to living out their lives in the realm of the mundane.
One pastor is laid back and a poor administrator. He genuinely wants his church to grow and expand its outreach, but his casual approach to ministry continually frustrates the leaders in his congregation. The pastor knows his people are discontent but he views it as a spiritual issue among his people rather than a leadership problem of his own. A business leader lacks focus. She is continually dreaming of new projects to expand her business. But she has terrible follow through. Rather than bringing one vision to reality at a time, she juggles dozens of ideas but never brings any of them to the light of day. People have stopped taking her seriously, even though she continues to passionately herald her next great idea. Another leader has been careless with his health. He has put on a lot of weight that is causing him various health issues. His knees are in pain, causing him to walk awkwardly. He is short of breath, causing him to breath heavily and to speak in broken sentences. People have lost confidence in him, as it is clear he has failed to manage his own life properly.
These are all well-meaning people whose personal self-management has cost them in their leadership roles. Perhaps this is what the writer of Hebrews was touching upon when he said, “. . . let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Heb. 12:1).
Everyone has baggage. We all have weaknesses, harmful habits, and negative tendencies. These issues will continually limit us from achieving our potential unless we manage, by God’s life-transforming grace, to overcome them.
In many ways, this is what separates great leaders from mediocre ones. Superior leaders don’t necessarily rid themselves of weaknesses, but they learn to overcome them. They don’t deny them or dodge them or make excuses for them. They deal with them.
I have an issue common to many middle-aged men: I like food! And I don’t burn off the calories like I used to, so it seems I’m always carrying around extra, unnecessary weight. That tonnage doesn’t look attractive. In fact, it makes me look slovenly. When people see me standing in the pulpit when I am carrying that extra weight, I am sure there are those who legitimately wonder what I could possibly have to say about “overcoming” or “victory” or “self-control.” I know this hurts my overall effectiveness as a speaker and leader.
What’s worse, I know what it takes to lose that weight. At different points in my life, I have grown serious about weight loss and I have lost weight. My problem is that sometimes I know I should lose weight, and I’d really like to lose it, but I am just not serious enough to make it happen. I make excuses. “As soon as this busy stretch in my travel subsides, I am getting serious about my diet! . . . Once the holidays are over . . . once the last piece of my favorite pie is gone . . . then I’ll get serious!” I have a whole arsenal of explanations for why I am not in the shape I ought to be: “It is hard to eat right when you are on the road all the time . . . I was jet lagged . . . It would have been rude not to eat the twelve-layer chocolate cake they offered me . . . My metabolism has slowed . . .” And while my excuses sound reasonable enough to me at the time, my problem remains.
At some point I have to decide: Am I going to simply accept my current state, or am I going to tackle the issue in my life that is harming my effectiveness as a leader? We all have issues. The question is not: “Do you have issues in your life that are hindering your effectiveness?” The question is: “Are you finally prepared to do what is necessary to overcome the encumbrances in your life that are preventing you from becoming the leader God called you to be?”
The great reality of a new year is that we have the opportunity to make fresh, new decisions. Consider the habits or issues in your life that, if dealt with, would allow you to accomplish more than you ever have before.
Now, what have you decided to do?