In Plain Sight: Part 3

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4

Leaders, there is something that we don’t do enough—celebrate! When is the last time that you set aside time to jubilantly acknowledge all of the achievements you’ve made? No matter what the level of leadership or sphere of influence, we each have a platform that causes us to be visible to people around us in some measure. Pastors, CEOs, social justice advocates and activists stay immersed in the work of service to others. Truth be told, most of us got into the work and leadership roles that we hold as a direct response to perceived darkness and injustices. More often than not, our work can feel like a cyclical uphill battle with little to no progress.

Leadership comes at a price. Exercising God’s gifts to you can exact a toll economically, socially, mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Sometimes it is this constant wear and tear that leads to dejection and despair amongst leaders. In fact, the most gifted and visible leaders are often the ones who are struggling in plain sight. One of the ways to combat this trap is by constructing a celebration culture. The darker our path, the more we must learn to celebrate. And to celebrate often. Most of us celebrate big achievements, and only once we’ve reached the finish line. But it can be liberating to celebrate the small steps and the unfinished journey. Allow me to make the case for why a culture of celebration is necessary.

It sets God in His proper place in your Mind…

Leadership often places us at ground zero of societal injustices and people’s pain. If you are like me, the journey has made you ask, “where are you God?” or “do you care?” or “when will things be made right?” Taking the time in these moments to celebrate reminds us of who God is and what he has already done. It places our current problems in the spectrum of God’s track record. We can feel overwhelmed, with the false impression that there is no way out, and that all is lost. Celebrating even the most minute steps reminds us of the facts. The facts are that though this is not the first time that you’ve hit a dark patch—and injustices have been present since the dawn of time—that God has indeed delivered you out of these problems before. This means that he will absolutely come through again. Celebrating resets your mind to be firmly reestablished in the truth despite the present facts.

It rejuvenates you to hope again…

Rejoicing in the midst of trials, tragedies, and difficulties does not require the denial of the present pain. What you are seeing, and experiencing is real. Nevertheless, you should rejoice because your success is not rooted in your situation, or even in your ability to fix it—but it is firmly grounded in the track record of God. This is why Psalm 43 instructs us to place our hope in God as the remedy for a downcast soul. This is also why we are encouraged to rejoice in the Lord. When our hope is correctly placed in God, it allows us to breathe again and move forward in the work in a freer way. Solving the world’s problems was never your plight to begin with. God just needed a yielded vessel, placed proximate to the trauma. You are that yielded vessel that God may use to bring the victory, but you are not the architect of that victory. Don’t lose hope, but instead make sure you place that hope to overcome in God.

If you plan to be engaged in God’s work and in leadership for the long haul, it is imperative that you build a culture of celebration!

Prayer:

God, be with us in this hour of need as a reminding force to rejoice. As we build a culture of celebration centered in your goodness and your power, renew our minds. Give us fresh strength and passion as we walk on your path of restoration. In Jesus’s name we pray, Amen.