God-Given Leadership

Earlier today, I was listening to Pandora when the song "Word of God Speak" came on. I prayed that God would remind me to listen to that during my devotional time tonight, then followed by asking Him to give me whatever song He wanted me to listen to. When I was preparing, that song came into my head very clearly.

"I'm finding myself at a loss for words, and the funny thing is it's okay. The last thing I need is to be heard, but to hear what You would say."

"Word of God speak; would you pour down like rain, washing my eyes to see Your majesty? To be still and know that You're in this place, please let me stay and rest in Your holiness. Word of God, speak."

This song is a wonderful reminder that we need to let God speak to us. We oftentimes pray to God, laying our requests before Him. However, I would venture to say that many a time, we forget to be still and listen for Him to speak to us. Conversation is a two-way road.

Tonight's topic was led by Numbers 12:3: "Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth." (NIV)

Just because Moses was humble, doesn't mean that he didn't have leadership potential. God can use anyone if the individual allows Him to. According to John Maxwell, "You don't have to be a 'natural' to become a great leader; you simply need a heart for God and a teachable spirit."

Leadership is a spiritual gift imparted by God to whom He sees fit. "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines," Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:11 (NIV). I found out that leadership is my spiritual gift, and I thank God for it! Now, being gifted with something doesn't mean you are perfect at it. You still have to work to strengthen the gift.

Part of God-driven leadership is meditating on His word and letting Him speak to you through it. Word of God, speak!

"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 96:10a (NIV)

The reflection question tonight is: Do you see yourself as a leader made by God?

I mentioned earlier that I found out leadership is my spiritual gift. There were several occasions where I prayed that God would reveal to me my spiritual gift. Scripture tells us that we need to, "eagerly desire spiritual gifts." (1 Corinthians 14:1, NIV) There is a key word that I was ignoring there: eagerly. I haphazardly prayed and asked for God to reveal to me my gift. This is not how Scripture directs us to desire gifts. Nevertheless, one day, God brought to my mind my various activities throughout high school and into college to that point, and one word stood out clearly: leadership. A few minutes later (as I was in the shower at the time He revealed this to me), I looked up spiritual gifts. In Romans, many spiritual gifts are listed. I was looking to see if leadership was a spiritual gift, and indeed it is! "If it is leadership, let him govern diligently." (Romans 12:8, NIV)

In order to find such things out, you must be willing to stop and listen to His voice and let Him speak to you through His Word.

God bless you!