One of the keys to effective leadership is what I would call emotional endurance. If you're going to make it as a leader, you have to have a high threshold for a wide variety of emotions.
Every once in a while, church planters will ask me about the greatest challenge in church planting. Honestly, I think it's managing your emotions. You have to manage the fear and the discouragement and the anxiety. If you can't, you won't make it. But if you allow the challenging situations to build emotional endurance, you'll be prepared for even bigger challenges.
One of the things that has helped me deal with criticism and stress is my perspective. I don't particularly like criticism or stress, but I see it as building emotional endurance. And if I'm going to do bigger and better things for God, then I'm going to need more emotional endurance.
I met the CBC basketball team this week and I told them that the lessons they learn on the basketball court will translate to leadership. A big one is managing emotions. When the game is on the line and you're at the free throw line, you have to perform under pressure. I feel the same butterflies when I preach in a high-pressure situation as I did when I ran out of the locker room for a big game. If you can do it on the court you can do it in the pulpit.
What I'm getting at is this: God wants to sanctify your emotions. He wants to build emotional endurance. And that generally involves high levels of stress or criticism or fear or discouragement. But if you grow through those circumstances then you'll become a stronger person emotionally.
One of my most distinct college memories was speaking at my commencement. I was so nervous! Good thing we had graduation gowns because I was shaking. But I look back at those kind of situations that were outside my comfort zone and they built emotional endurance. I was able to step into a high pressure situation with a little more confidence the next time around.
I think it was Martin Luther King who said, "What does not destroy me makes me stronger." So true! So I don't wish perfect peace upon you. If you don't build up emotional endurance, God can't use you!
May God give us thick skin and a soft heart.
Every once in a while, church planters will ask me about the greatest challenge in church planting. Honestly, I think it's managing your emotions. You have to manage the fear and the discouragement and the anxiety. If you can't, you won't make it. But if you allow the challenging situations to build emotional endurance, you'll be prepared for even bigger challenges.
One of the things that has helped me deal with criticism and stress is my perspective. I don't particularly like criticism or stress, but I see it as building emotional endurance. And if I'm going to do bigger and better things for God, then I'm going to need more emotional endurance.
I met the CBC basketball team this week and I told them that the lessons they learn on the basketball court will translate to leadership. A big one is managing emotions. When the game is on the line and you're at the free throw line, you have to perform under pressure. I feel the same butterflies when I preach in a high-pressure situation as I did when I ran out of the locker room for a big game. If you can do it on the court you can do it in the pulpit.
What I'm getting at is this: God wants to sanctify your emotions. He wants to build emotional endurance. And that generally involves high levels of stress or criticism or fear or discouragement. But if you grow through those circumstances then you'll become a stronger person emotionally.
One of my most distinct college memories was speaking at my commencement. I was so nervous! Good thing we had graduation gowns because I was shaking. But I look back at those kind of situations that were outside my comfort zone and they built emotional endurance. I was able to step into a high pressure situation with a little more confidence the next time around.
I think it was Martin Luther King who said, "What does not destroy me makes me stronger." So true! So I don't wish perfect peace upon you. If you don't build up emotional endurance, God can't use you!
May God give us thick skin and a soft heart.
14 Comments:
Mark,
Thanks for the reminder about the importance of emotional endurance. Good words! Sometimes it is not just what others cause us to react to, but also our own internal battles with expectations and discouragement.
PS. The "makes me stronger" quote is most often attributed to another famous eastern German: Friedrich Nietzsche (Twilight of the Idols, 1895) Maybe he copped it from Luther, but I have not heard that before.
Enduring from Germany,
Mike
Well done...I call it perseverance...but emotional endurance is a great term.
Great word and a very timely post for me. Thanks!
Great encouragement and wisdom. Something I needed to hear.
Great insight and overlooked in church world sometimes.
Great post! I seem to vaguely recall a popular book on that, you don't happen to know it's name do you?
Thanks, I needed this!
Thanks Mark ... great post, nice timing. Please keep sharing what the Lord is giving you!
Mark,
Excellent instruction!
Thanks
Great Insights!
So that butterflies feeling never goes away? I'm assuming it's not usually there when you preach at NCC? Thinking about my own future...
Thanks!
Will
Yes, it was Nietzsche ... and here is a really funny take on it:
http://despair.com/adversity.html
I am a big fan of inspirational posters but these are just too funny.
In all seriousness, your message hit the spot. Thanks Mark!
I could not have found a better post to read tonight! I'm just about to celebrate 2yrs in a church plant and I cannot think of anything that has been more challenging than the sanctification of my emotions!
I'm constantly reminded that it is His church but as one with a shepherd heart - I can take it so personal. Over and over the Holy Spirt instructs me get thicker skin and realize that I am not what people are seeking - rather Jesus is that which is needed and sought after.
So - yes to thicker skin and a softer heart! Even when the attack is on me - I've learned that it usually isn't about me. When you stand on convictions from God - many will come against you. May we have more emotional endurance and belief in God outcomes!
I echo the sentiments of those who remark on the timeliness of this post for me!
I absolutely do want the Lord to sanctify my emotions, to form emotional endurance in my spirit, to have a "tougher skin and softer heart", as Pastor Scott commented.
...for that to happen, I need God to reveal to me what the difference is between the "skin" and the "heart". I need discernment so's to see what's me taking something personally, and what's me being broken over effects of sin.
But yes, this was a great post! Thank you for sharing.
[My first visit here! Found you through James MacDonald's blog.]
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