For Christians, hope speaks of a desire that includes expectation. When considering the promises of God, Christians know there is fulfillment.
Spiritual leadership is about hope. Our leadership must be characterized by a strong desire with expectation.
Listening, confident, learning, and conscientious leaders provide hope.
The very idea of “spiritual” leadership should exemplify the hope Christ came to provide all who would follow.
Being connected with people is vital to good leadership. Several elements will help establish that connection.
1) Be transparent.
2) Provide hope.
3) Consistency is essential.
4) Relate to people individually.
5) Find ways to genuinely compliment others.
Leaders who connect lead with passion and integrity. They know and are known by others. Love for others drives a leader’s heart. Reaching the goal motivates a leader’s actions. Staying connected keeps a leader balanced.
In the Old Testament we find a great contrast between deliverance by the hand of the Lord and oppression by the hand of Israel’s enemies.
God’s hand holds both consequence and reward. While God’s hand creates fear, it also instills hope. “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Yet, Jesus sits at the right hand of the majesty on high and intercedes for us.
We are instructed to humble ourselves “under the mighty hand of God.”
The hand of leadership leads out of humility and provides hope.
We have an opportunity to make a difference with the use of our hand.
As leaders, we are messengers of hope. People can endure just about anything if they know there is something better ahead. They need hope something will be better.
The challenge is learning how to help others see that our hope is not based in a promise of a better physical life, but something beyond this life and beyond compare.
This kind of hope was the driving force of the early church, even in the face of death.
Paul indicated that hope of this nature saves us because with it we endure.
Better days are ahead, maybe not in this life, but God holds eternity.
What chance is there, out of all the people on the planet who have never even heard the name of Jesus, you and I heard it?
Why were we so blessed to hear the Gospel when many in the world hear an altered version if they hear it at all?
We need to recognize the responsibility that comes with this opportunity.
Should we keep it to ourselves? Can we really go through each day without considering those who walk through life unaware of what awaits in eternity?
We are blessed among all people. This blessing is one meant to be shared, leading others to a hope of something beyond.
Love is one of the most misunderstood words in the English language, yet one of the most powerful.
Franklin P. Jones once said, “Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.”
Love is the perfect bond of unity.
Love is the greatest among faith, hope, and love.
Loving your neighbor as yourself is the fulfillment of the royal law.
Perfect love casts out fear.
Love covers a multitude of sins.
Love is to be demonstrated above all to God, toward a friend, spouse, brother, and enemy.
When love is the foundation, formation, and finishing of our words and actions, godly leadership is exemplified.
Optimism serves leaders in much greater ways than the skepticism and negativity so rampant in the influences of our daily life.
Helen Keller said, “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
Three words stand out as part of this statement: faith, hope, and confidence. Each word feeds on the other and they are interdependent in the relationship between them.
Hope represents an earnest expectation. The confidence that exists in the arena of hope is fueled by the faith that drives the optimism needed to achieve incredible results.
Ask yourself, “What can I do to further develop this optimistic attitude?”
Optimism includes hope and confidence about the future or outcome.
The contrast between leaders who are optimistic and those who are not can be associated with age and experience. Encountering negative experiences in life often hinders optimistic leadership.
How do leaders keep hope and confidence alive?
1) Remember, “everyone” is not against you.
2) Stop trying to live in or change the past.
3) Surround yourself with optimistic people.
4) Be realistic about personal expectations.
5) Learn to accept who you are as a person.
6) Express gratitude for what you have.
7) Reflect often on the positive areas of life.
Try it and see how contagious it becomes.
Two of the most unused, yet powerful words are “thank you.” Gratitude is vital to our leadership.
Leaders should be thankful because…
1) God has placed them in this position.
2) Influencing others for the Lord is the greatest task on earth.
3) Hope is the message provided through godly leaders.
4) Others trust leaders to show them the way.
5) Leadership make an eternal difference.
Leaders must recognize why they should be thankful as much as understanding what they are thankful for and the need to show gratitude.
Our God is great. Let us thank Him who has given us leaders!
In Psalm 42, David appears to question his own despair and why his soul is disturbed within him. The response is one with great application for leaders. “Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence.”.
Note that our the hope is only found in God. When we place hope in our own abilities, or the abilities of others, disappointment results and we are often let down.
When our hope is placed in possessions, we are left with discouragement when those possessions deteriorate or are stolen.
Therefore, the only source of hope that will never disappoint or discourage us is God.