Life for Leaders is our free, digitally delivered devotional, sent to your inbox every morning.
Make Your Way to the Balcony
If you want to do the inner work of leadership, if you want to see yourself with new clarity and perspective, then you need to make your way to the balcony, so to speak. Do whatever helps you to see your life and leadership from a perspective that promotes your growth in wisdom.
Read Post Pay Attention to Yourself
Ephesians 5:15 invites us to what we in the De Pree Center have been calling “inner work.” Yes, we also should pay attention to our actions. But careful attention will look beneath what we do to what’s going on inside of us. It will examine our thoughts and feelings, our longings and losses, our hopes and fears, our hates and loves.
Read Post The Dry Place
The struggle for power: Where does real power come from? Under whose authority is Jesus operating?
Read Post The Deep Place
Did Jesus have to go back to these deep waters of baptism and submerge himself in the waters of God’s love whenever he questioned his own leadership abilities? Did he ever feel discouraged about them?
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Inner Work and Team Leadership: A Personal Example
The example of Nehemiah encourages us to think about how we have done inner work that shapes our leadership.
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Inner Work and Leading a Team
The book of Nehemiah shows that Nehemiah’s effectiveness as a leader wasn’t just a matter of skill or charisma. It was a result of the prayerful inner work he had done at the beginning of the story and continued to do as he was leading the people. There was something about Nehemiah that called forth a positive response from those who chose to follow him. Yes, it had to do with his vision and plan. But it also had to do with his character as a leader people wanted to follow.
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The Inner Work of Leadership: The Case of Nehemiah
The book of Nehemiah portrays its central figure, Nehemiah, as a person who gets the job done. We might even say that he demonstrates a bias for action. But it’s essential to note that Nehemiah doesn’t act apart from doing the inner work of leadership. In fact, it would be accurate to say that his activity and success as a leader are founded on his intentional inner work. Moreover, as Nehemiah’s example reminds us, we often do this by setting aside time for an extended conversation with God in which we pour out our hearts and hopes without holding back. In Scripture, prayer is a crucial feature of deep inner work that leads to effective leadership.
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“Can’t” Can’t Be, Anymore (Part 2)
How do we get to a redemptive imagination, a view of life that sees Christ involved in the life of the lost? Involved in poverty? Involved in homelessness? In brokenness and wholeness? We have to look at three things: who we worship, who we love, and what we decide to do.
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“Can’t” Can’t Be, Anymore (Part 1)
Jesus came to give us a better perspective and better imagination—a redemptive imagination, really; a view of this world and life that considers the fact that if God the Father can send _his own son_ into the world and let him die for all of us so that we never have to worry about death again, then just perhaps he can use us to save others, help with homelessness, and figure out a way for us to be together even when things break down.
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Further Reflections on the Inner Work of Jesus
As we do the inner work required of leaders, the story of the temptation of Jesus reminds us of how Scripture makes such a difference. Not only does the Bible reveal to us who God is, who we are, and what we’re called to do, but it also helps us see into our own hearts and minds. When we face temptations that would take us away from our best work, God will help us do the inner work that enables us to clarify our true identity and calling.
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Inner Work as Preparation for Leadership: The Case of Jesus
When he was tempted by the devil, Jesus did what we would call “inner work.” In this case, the inner work of Jesus had to do with questions such as: _Who am I? What is my mission? How am I to act in light of my true identity?_ Though you and I won’t be working through questions like these as the fully human, fully divine Son of God, we do have to figure out who we are and what is our life’s purpose. Along the way, we often have to reject opportunities that, however tempting they may be, are not what God has for us to do.
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Inner Work as Preparation for Leadership: The Case of Moses
The story of Moses at the burning bush reminds us of something we have seen many times before in this _Life for Leaders _series on inner work. Yes, inner work is something we do. And, yes, it often happens when we are by ourselves, in a place to reflect thoughtfully and feel freely. But inner work is also something we do with God. We may never have an epiphany as astounding as a voice from a burning bush, but we are certainly welcomed and encouraged to invite God into our internal process. Moreover, it is often the case that we begin our inner work in response to God’s prior invitation. In conversation with God, we can reflect honestly upon our strengths and weaknesses. We can be honest about our fears and look to God for confidence and courage. Thus, our inner work helps us prepare for the leadership tasks that lay before us.
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