Step 4 – Check Your Motivation

Perhaps you’ve been praying for direction or clarity regarding a leadership issue for quite some time. The Bible passages that God has drawn you to seem to be confirming your thoughts, as do a couple of your close Christian friends. Everything seems to line up and so you’re feeling good about the clarity.

But is it all so easy? Perhaps not and here’s why…

As a leader, you’re accustomed to giving direction, setting goals and achieving results. You derive satisfaction from this. It’s what motivates you to do more, and the more successful you become, the more rewarding your journey. Even so, you still want to seek God’s will and make sure that you’re on the right path. And that’s a good thing.

But coming to God for confirmation of your plans is different than coming to God for guidance. Especially if you’re being successful, you may think that you’re “in the groove” and right where God wants you to be. So instead of listening for God’s will and trying to hear His voice, you come to God looking for confirmation of what you think is already right.

Emotions and motivation are two very similar and powerful voices. In the same way that young lovers seem to lose a sense of rationality when they fall in love, so it may be with you as a leader when you meet a certain level of success.

Perhaps you’re familiar with this quote: “To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” In the same way, leadership success can easily hamper your understanding of God’s will. Everything looks like a blessing! From the world’s point of view, of course, it would seem that you’re on the right track when all is going well. But is this really so?

The Bible makes it clear that the world’s metrics and viewpoints are not to be your modus operandi. Only by drawing close to God and renewing your mind will we know his will:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2, NIV)

Your calling as leader is not to be the most successful manager, executive or owner that you might be. Again, that may sound right from a worldly perspective, but check these teachings of Jesus:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3, 5, 10, NIV)

“But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” (Matthew 19:30, NIV)

“Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave.” (Matthew 20:26-27, NIV)

Jesus never equates earthly success with being in God’s will; if anything, he suggests the exact opposite!

These verses and teachings of Jesus are not given to confuse you, but to remind you of your higher calling – to help build God’s Kingdom here on earth, not yours. Remember the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer?

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10, NIV)

Jesus prays for the coming of God’s Kingdom, and guess what? It’s your purpose as a leader to help with that by doing good works and serving others! Leadership success may fit with that, but it’s also not central to God’s plan. Check this verse:

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10, NIV)

Therefore, as you seek God’s will for your leadership, humbly approach God with an open mind to determine what HE wants for you, not with a mindset seeking confirmation of what you think you already know.

Especially when you’re being successful.

Reflection/Application

1. Do you see how leadership success can draw you away from God’s will? Have you ever seen this in your life?
2. How often do you seek God’s confirmation of your plans, as opposed to hearing His plans for you?
3. Have you ever found the “blessing” of leadership success to take you down the wrong path? How could you avoid this?