Lonely in Leadership, Saturday January 22, 2011

Reading: Psalm 46:7, The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

My hero, Abraham Lincoln, once said, “True leaders must be willing to stand alone.” Top leaders always pay a high price for their position. Moses had no friends, nor did Joshua. Paul was alone in prison when he wrote his greatest letters and Abraham Lincoln always faced opposition.

On April 14, 1865, President Lincoln was tragically shot. These 5 items were in his pockets that night.
Handkerchief, embroidered “A. Lincoln”
A boys pocketknife
A spectacles case repaired with string
A purse containing $5, confederate money
Some old and worn newspaper clippings.

The clippings addressed great deeds Lincoln had done. In 1865, millions of critics were fierce against him. Even the greatest of leaders felt alone and needed self assurance.

God’s comfort and assurance happens in the silence of solitude. It is where man’s opinion is overshadowed, where faith replaces fear, where the quest for character deepens and where true leaders earn the right to be respected.

Psalm 46:10-11 states, 10 "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Are you feeling alone because you have been called to be a leader or have you not stepped out yet to be a leader because of the fear of being alone?

Is it worth it to you to lead, even if that means that it may be a lonely road?

What can you do today to step out to lead, even though it maybe just you and God alone?

REVIEW

How did you find a way to be a leader today?


Did you feel alone or did you sense God’s presence with you?

How did that impact your perception of leadership?