Sometimes, fear can be a good thing. It keeps us safe; it increases our awareness of risk - as in "don't walk the streets of the city alone after dark." In some cases, it can be a motivator, as in "I never want to experience that situation again."
But where's the tipping point? Where do our fears sabotage us - create obstacles - keep us stagnant - build walls - keep us from doing the hard thing? Being the kind of leader that makes the tough decisions or takes the hard steps, often causes us to have to lean in to our fear. Examine it. Face it. Push through it.
What is the core fear that's always operating in the core of your being? Me? Fear of rejection. Recognize when your fear is the thing that's holding you back. Lean into it - push through it - grow from it.
As a young pastor, someone "gave me" this quote from 2 Timothy 1.7: "... for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline."
ReplyDeleteIt blew me away. I felt the Scripture directed right at my solar plexis... God is not in the fear. More than that, God is in the power. I think at that time, I was afraid of power - thought it was a "dirty word"... and somehow this scripture put power together with love and self-control. I don't think it was the beginning of my leadership journey, but it was certainly a major marker along the way.