Leading from Weakness

In today’s society, it seems like everyone is striving endlessly to be strong.  Whether it is emotional, spiritual, or physical, the world seems to reward strength and discourage weakness. Throughout the years of my life, I have faced many challenges as all of you have.  Some of those challenges I was experiencing, people weren’t even aware of until after I walked through the battle without any Christian friend by my side. After making it through those difficulties of life I discovered that my weakness during those times is what actually developed the strength for later in life.

When reading Making Disciples: One Conversation at a Time, by D. Michael Henderson I was reminded that we can help lead others closer to Christ through the times of weakness we survived in our past. As a child and teen, I always thought all the adults at church had always lived perfect Godly lives with no mistakes along the way. As I grew up I realized that was not the case, but often no one talks about those times of weakness.  Fast forward to my call to ministry and I realized it was all those times that my weaknesses crept up that would help form the conversations I have with others in their walk with Christ.

“Redemptive conversations demand an entirely different kind of leadership. We must learn to lead from a position of weakness, not one of superior knowledge or perfect performance”, D. Michael Henderson. This week I was brought to this very moment in a conversation.  Being able to be vulnerable in your witness about how Christ has changed your life in weakness allows you to grow closer to Christ and allows the person you are witnessing to realize God is a forgiving God, who can carry anyone through the tough times if they surrender to Him.

Allowing the grace that we have been shown by our Heavenly Father to overflow to others is the true example of our witness. Recognizing that in our weakness God showed us grace and that we are required to demonstrate that grace to others in their weakness, is the key to growing the kingdom of God.  I always thought I had to be cleaned up and perfect to come to church when I was younger, yet coming to God’s house is where we get cleaned up in order to be the grace-filled witness needed outside of those doors.

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

Are you ready to lead as a witness through your weakness? There is someone today waiting for you to be vulnerable enough to remind them that God brought you through your mistakes or weak moments, and he will bring them through theirs.