What's In You Could Derail You

Have you ever found yourself in a challenging situation? I certainly have.  

Not long ago I inherited a demanding leadership responsibility. All of the sudden, I had to excel in something that I felt rather ill-equipped to accomplish.

To my dismay I allowed some wrong attitudes to arise.

Sooner or later, every leader faces a similar conflict within their heart. They must not only come to grips with their own constraints, they must also come to acknowledge their narrow approach to management.

So what did I do to overcome this problem?

In the midst of my struggle I was impacted by a passage that not only convicted me but gave me a distinct plan of action. I believe that this scripture could also help you when you face similar challenges.

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure." (Philippians 2:14)

In this biblical verse the Apostle Paul tells us, first of all, to "do everything." It doesn't matter if you're ill-equipped or if you don't enjoy doing it. Leaders must find a way to do everything they are being asked to do. Paul is suggesting that people like you and me must stand and deliver.

Yet, with all that said, productivity in the face of opposition is simply not enough. You must not only put your hand to work in difficult circumstances. You must also find a way to accomplish this without "complaining or arguing." As a leader, you have a biblical responsibility to fulfill all your obligations with a righteous disposition.

Too often we give ourselves a free pass when it comes to our own attitudes and actions. We don't like the complaining we observe in others, but aren't bothered when same type of talk pours from our own mouth. We quickly excuse our own infractions while holding others to an impossibly high standard of behavior.

So, in this little Pauline passage we find an excellent plan of action; an effective way to overcome foolishness and pride. Since I've found this biblical strategy so helpful I thought that I might share it with you as well.

Remember, you must do everything that's necessary and do it with the right heart. This matters a great deal. In fact, your future capacity for leadership may be riding on this decision. So, it is not something I would play around with.