Tag Archives: Work

General

Get Your Hope Here

We could all use a little hope.
 
Or a lot.
 
Hope comes from our ability to look forward in anticipation toward a goal or a specific time. In addition, Hope requires a reasonable amount of confidence that the thing you desire or the dream you have for your life can actually exists or has the possibility become a reality. Hope is like an oxygen tank on Everest. When you have one you have a lifeline that will help you on your journey.
 
In contrast, Hopelessness is the inability to look ahead or to live in expectation of the future. Someone who has come to a place of Hopelessness has done so because they have little confidence and no reason to believe that there is a way forward. Just like oxygen, we need Hope if we are going to survive the journey ahead.
 
That’s why the season we are in right now is difficult. That vacation you were looking forward to… cancelled. Your big wedding plans… curtailed. That project at work… discontinued. The Hopelessness sets in because you do not even have confidence that the new dates will work. We can’t see the end of these ever-changing regulations and so you have no reason to believe that this new guideline will actually accomplish anything.
 
If you are going to Live and Lead effectively you need HOPE for the journey ahead. You need HOPE because your people need HOPE.
 
I want to provide you with some HOPE.
 
HELP –
 
In your life and leadership you will face obstacles, setbacks, and seasons where you will feel stuck, squeezed, and stretched beyond your current capacity. You will need to move beyond your current reality and begin working toward a preferred future. However, hopelessness sets in because too often the task seems too hard, the problems seem too big, and you wonder if you’re up to the challenge. You are capable of making changes in your current situation but you most likely need some help. I want to help you work through issues, set goals, and equip you to solve the problems you are facing. So, consider for a moment… where could you use some help?
 
OBJECTIVITY –
 
When we are in the think of a tense and difficult situation, too often we get tunnel vision and become focused on only a few things… most often the person or problem causing the most noise. The problem is that sometimes we get focused on the wrong things because we can’t see the bigger picture in the moment. When someone criticizes us we get hung up on the words and tones they used. The untruth of unfair criticism or the truth in constructive criticism gets lost in the noise. Sometimes we feel a huge burden about an issue, we feel ashamed because we don’t measure up, or we can’t see the next move because we can’t see around problems or people right in front of us clamoring for our attention. In moments like these, you need an objective voice to come alongside of you listen without judgement, refocus you through asking questions, and direct you toward a new way through the issues you’re facing. Ask yourself… in what areas could you use a fresh set of eyes and ears to help you see a bigger picture?
 
POSSIBILITIES –
 
Desperation and despair begin to over take us when we feel as though we have nothing left to give and no viable options to take. The truth is that while there are great problems facing you there are also great possibilities if you are willing to explore and discover them. The great thing about life and leadership is that man incredible man and women have gone before us. They have faced great problems as well and through their example they have shown us that it is possible to face your fears, overcome obstacles, and move forward into your preferred future. If you cannot see any way forward… what are some areas you could benefit from being able to see new possibilities in order to resolve an issue you are facing?
 
ENCOURAGEMENT –
 
Encouragement is the lifeblood that keeps our internal heart, soul, and mind alive and encouragement helps us move forward. Unfortunately, we are living in an encouragement-deficient world. Working with and for people can be draining because people are quick with cutting criticism and slow to offer genuine encouragement. Too often, leaders grow bitter and their heart, mind, and soul atrophies because they go months without hearing a single word of encouragement or blessing. As a leader, part if your job is encouraging others. I want to encourage you. Let me ask you… Could you use some encouragement right now?
 
I know that you could uses some HOPE in your life and leadership. Right now you are facing heartbreak, heartache, and heartburn. What is happing in you is more important than what is happening to you. In the midst of this season remember that HOPE comes from working through the suffering so that you can gain perseverance for your leadership journey. What you are facing is developing your heart, soul, and mind for all that is ahead. Your character is being formed, right now, even in the midst of hard things. Let’s go after some HOPE together.
 
Questions:
 
What are 3 things that are giving you HOPE right now?
What are 2 things that are making it difficult to have HOPE?
What’s 1 thing you can do today to give HOPE to someone else?
My Jesus Month

The World Hates Your Sabbath

Maybe “hate” is too strong of a word but the world does not get what Sabbath is and they certainly don’t understand why someone would want/need to take one. The world conspires to squelch and subvert the things that it does not understand. The world puts the Sabbath directly in its cross hairs.

Four weekends down. One great Sabbath attempt. Three Sabbath FAILS.

To be fair, I have had four spiritually challenging weekends this month. Looking back there are things that happened that I had no control over and there are things that I wouldn’t have missed out on. I had funerals to attend and a youth conference scheduled, family visits and things that had to take place between sundown Friday and sundown Saturday. I desperately tried to faithfully observe the Sabbath but I became overwhelmed and exhausted in much of my attempts. In fact, almost everything about the Sabbath seemed exhausting to me.

Getting ready for the Sabbath is exhausting. One weekend I was racing the sun as it set. I was in downtown Dallas and was rushing to get home before sundown… on a Friday! I was working twice as hard to prepare for a day of rest.

Keeping the Sabbath is exhausting. Rather than using the day to disconnect from the world in order to connect with family and God I found myself worrying about every action I was taking. “Did that violate the Sabbath?” was a constant question I asked. I focused on the ritual and not the spirit in which it was given.

I was frustrated that I could not observe the Sabbath completely but in the midst of my frustration the words of Jesus burned in my heart.

Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath. (Mark 2:27 TNIV)

The Pharisees had accused Jesus and the apostles of breaking the Sabbath because they were hungry and had taken the grain, broke it up, and ate. They had violated at least one of the 39 activities forbidden on the Sabbath. Jesus tells the Pharisees that the Sabbath is a gift from the Almighty. The Sabbath is not to be our Task Master. The Sabbath works for us.

Despite failing in observing the Sabbath to the letter I did experience moments of great rest and great connection. These moments came when I took Jesus at his word and treated the Sabbath as a gift from God rather than a list of rules. I want to continue attempting to observe the Sabbath in my life after this month is over. As I have experienced it, studied it, and pondered the Sabbath this month the healthiest and holiest approach to the day of rest has to be this:

In observing the Sabbath you are not serving the day itself. You are serving the Creator. He gave you the Sabbath so that you could connect with The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to focus, strengthen, and change you. The Sabbath is for you. Enjoy it.