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This post is part of our Sunday Series titled “Articles of Faith.”
We investigate leadership lessons from the Bible.
See the whole series here. Published only on Sundays.
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There is an element to leadership that actually defines the position itself… fearless.
“Let’s start a non-profit organization,” we concluded over coffee. Perhaps it was naiveté that kept me from recognizing the insurmountable amount of work, sacrifice, and bureaucracy I was up against. I was 26 years old. There was no reason for me to succeed. No reason for me to even try except for the fact that I could. It was the beginning of an arts-driven youth center that would be fronted as a coffeehouse. We’d book bands, teach graphic arts, provide a safe place for teens and use the coffee profits to subsidize the efforts. The goal? “Anyone will talk about life over a cup of coffee.”
Those were some of the longest and hardest working days of my life. In any case, I was fearless… And I loved it.
Here I am today, almost 40, and I’m starting a new venture… again. But this time, I have a wife, two daughters, and a bun in the oven to take care of. In my world, everything has changed.
- I can’t be careless.
- I can’t make a mistake.
- I can’t go in without analyzing all the data.
This has to be right, go right and earn the right amount of money, right? I am fear… er, full.
In what ways is fear interrupting your dreams?
I remember those days when I could take risks. Be challenged. Be fearless.
Sometimes I think I’ve been domesticated by the expectations of the world. My wily ways have been replaced with pragmatism, conservatism, and some other ism’s that can restrain my creative passions.
Made in God’s Image
We’re created in the image of God, but God we are not. He’s given us some specific direction on how to apply HIS ways of thinking, Kingdom Life.
2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
Psalm 9:10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Psalm 20:7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
God, you’re killing me here. Throw me a bone, I have a family to care for!
God in his gentle rebuke, spoke to me recently while I was negotiating with Him, “Since when did you become Jehovah Jireh, the God that provides?” – He talks to me like that… blunt is beautiful.
I forget sometimes that my occupation is not my supplier. I often times depend on my tenacity, perseverance, and labor to pay my bills. Like a hamster on the flywheel, my gears start turning trying to generate enough velocity to garner another day’s wage. I work harder, stay longer, and press on further… And at the end of the day, I’m just tired.
The truth is, I do that a lot, but here’s what I’m learning:
What I create, I must maintain.
What God creates, God must maintain.
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Instead of bearing little fruit while exhausting all of my energy and efforts, my life is like a fragrance of fresh rain, bringing comfort, encouragement and inspiration to all around me. Like a morning sun, I bring the reminder of a new opportunity to creative expression.
You see, I am a child of God. I am not my own, but bought with a price. My will is laid down, my courage raised up. A peculiar people, a royal priesthood, I walk in power, authority, and dominion. Surrounding me is grace and mercy. Leading me is peace and love. Following me is a team, an employee, a company, a product, a customer, a family, a legacy. How I lead them is directly affected by who I allow to lead me.
Andy Stanley uses this quote often:
“God takes full responsibility for a life wholly devoted to Him.”
So here’s what I get to pre-occupy myself with: Jesus is in me, the creator, the creative, and courageous.
I choose to lead from this place… fearless.
What does a fearless life look like for you? How can you live in a way to make this mind-set contagious?
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Angus Nelson is a speaker and author of “Love’s Compass: When We’ve Lost Our Way”
He can be reached at angus@angusnelson.com
Image Source: assets.communityspice.com, officersclubcg.com, palmcove.net
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Thanks for sharing.
Divine revelations have got so much to guide us in facing this life , regardless what beliefs we are, for us at least we know that we have someone to hold unto in good times and bad times, especially so should we got stuck and clueless what to do next. In the Holy Qura’an [ 3:160] , Allah says ” If Allah helps you, none can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there after HIM that can help you ? And in Allah (Alone) let believers put their trust ”
No matter how strong we would think we are, in the end of the day we are not Superman and Superwoman, but we are just another human being, and we do need divine intervention in whatever we do.
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Thanks Angus. Your article is like a breath of fresh air. I am at a point where i have alot of work to do in terms of my job and my long term plans. I feel like every second counts, so i am constantly running against time, questioning my outputs, trying to put my plans on paper and build an effective strategy for all i want to do. Sometimes i feel afraid and inadequate, but i have to keep reminding myself that the life of God in me is able to meet every challenge i face victoriously and that God who has put these dreams in me has also made provision for their accomplishment.
So reading your article just gave me new encouragement and perspective. Thanks so much.
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Great article posting – thanks so much. It’s interesting that the scripture ensures us that He hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, then where does it come from? Where does the feeling of fear that can debilitate us from stepping out in business or into a new venture come from? It must come from the author of that fear, the enemy. The scripture is clear to point out ways and steps to walk in trust of the Lord and this is where I personally find my strength to do the things that I used to previoulsy be afraid to do.
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