Posted by Richard S. Lytle, Ph.D. in Blogs
Last month I suggested God’s
nature is one of creativity, strategy, movement, transformation, and implementation. He is NOT a God – of “okay as you are” or “good enough”
or “whatever” or “you’ve arrived.” He is a God of journey – a God of great crossings – times where He
wants to do something significant in your life – moving you from here to there. He is not a God of here
for long. There is always better! He has plans for his people (Jer. 11:13). In short, He wants you to make great crossings to new
places and he wants to personally deliver you!
In this short series, I am suggesting three
things I believe keep us from making great crossings with God and three things we
must do to enable great crossings.
Last
month I spoke of the negative power of Clinging
to the Past while attempting to make a great crossing. During tough times or in tough decision
modes, we often look over our shoulder and begin to doubt our decision to
cross. Truth be told, our past significantly
informs us but it does not control
us! Jesus came to offer us forward
thinking in all things. He said, “No one
who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom
of God.”[1]
This
month I am suggesting the second thing which often prevents us from making
great crossings is the Fear of Failure. Our oldest daughter, Kelly, was a great
defensive basketball player in high school.
However, she would rarely shoot on offense. Explaining this phenomenon to me she said,
“Daddy, if I shoot I might miss!” I
explained she will never make any of the shots she doesn’t take!
Fear – many leaders are plagued by
anxieties directly related to failure.
One of our own CEOs recently said to me, “I am afraid too often. I don’t lead like I should. I know it.
Others know it.”[2] The children of Israel would never have
reached the promised land if Moses and Joshua allowed their fear to make them
turn back. Moses was afraid at the
outset of God’s call to do something incredible: lead the children of Israel in
a great crossing. In fact, Moses shared his
fear with God at the very first interview about the job. Moses began, “What if they do not believe me
or listen to me?”[3] After a staff-to-snake/leprosy experience,
Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord.
I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have
spoken to your servant. I am slow of
speech and tongue.”[4] After God proclaims his credibility as Lord
– the Lord who gives man his mouth and makes people deaf, mute, and blind –
Moses said, “Pardon your servant Lord.
Please send someone else.”[5] God’s anger burned against Moses because
Moses’ fear of failure resulted in a lack of faith in God’s promises and
power. Moses, unlike Abraham, would not
believe God could do what he said he could do.[6]
Great leaders consistently have the
fear of failure ever before them. But,
great leaders don’t let the fear of failure prevent God from doing what he
promises he can do through them! Goliath
defied the armies of God by taunting the fighting men of Israel for 40 days. David stepped up, acknowledging the fear of
sword, spear, and javelin but, in faith said, “I come against you in the name
of the Lord almighty.”[7] He acted.
He won. He made a great crossing
from here to there for the children of Israel that day.
Angela
Duckworth says courage, resolve, and strength of character which move you
beyond your potential is Grit. I suggest
obedience, faith, putting your hand to the plow and not looking back, and daily
trust in a God who can do what he says he can do is Spiritual Grit. God has not given you a spirit of Fear (2
Tim. 1:7/Hebrews 10:39). He will deliver
you!
God plans for you to make great
crossings this year! In testing,
wilderness, drought, tough decisions, difficult relationships, and your walk
with Him – He is not interested in here
for long. His real mission is the next there for you. He is creating, innovating, planning, acting,
transforming, and implementing. Are you
seeing God’s there? Jesus taught, “The eye is the lamp of the
body. If your eyes are healthy, your
whole body will be full of light. But if
your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.”[8] What are you seeing right now? Are you in a Red Sea moment? Don’t look back! You can (1) Cling to Your Past, (2) Fear
Failure, or (3) you can make a clean break, trust God, and fix your eyes on
Jesus’ future.[9]
Today as always, God consistently
whispers: you are destined for a great crossing – I want to personally deliver
You!
More to
come next month …
[1]
Luke 9:62 (NIV)
[2] Ongoing
Research, R.S. Lytle, 2018
[3]
Exodus 4:1 (NIV)
[4]
Exodus 4:10 (NIV)
[5]
Exodus 4: 13 (NIV)
[6]
Romans 4:20-21
[7] 1
Samuel 17:32-45 (NIV)
[8]
Matt. 6:22
[9]
Heb. 12:1