Leadership

Escaping Obscurity?

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Joseph, the boy dreamer, certainly spent his years in obscurity.  It seemed that just when he thought God was lifting him up something else would happen!

“Only keep me in mind when it goes will with you, and please do me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house.”

 Yet the cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. (Genesis 40:14, 23)

Oh how we try to escape it!  But Joseph was sovereignly placed in obscurity.  He was apparently a forgotten man.  The cupbearer couldn’t get him out one day early.  God had shut him in.  God was doing a permanent work in Joseph before Joseph could do a permanent or prominent work in Egypt!

I have sometimes identified with Joseph.  Have you? It is so hard to really surrender our future to God’s hands.  Somehow, it seems, we are afraid that unless we push the agenda, we will miss our day in the sun and end up  stuck in Obscureville!  In his insightful book, Rethinking the Successful Church, Samuel Rima touches on this fear:

It is our fear of losing out and getting stuck in some invisible ministry post that often keeps us from recklessly entrusting our life to God.

While the focus of Rima’s words is people in ministry, this truth relates to all: whether in ministry, business, education, or marriage.  Could it be that much of the unrest and discontentment in your current assignment is really an indicator that you do not trust God to be good to you?  We are afraid God will not look out for our best interests and so we feel compelled to take matters into our own hands.  We then request that someone “get me out of here!”

Gideon

Gideon was definitely not a prominent fellow!  He was living in obscurity, threshing grain in a wine-press (hidden) when the Lord called him.  His family was the least in Manasseh and he was the youngest of all his brothers.  The Lord answered all his questions and fears with, “Surely I will be with you, and you shall defeat Midian as one man.” (Judges 6:16)

We often only look at the successes and exploits of famous biblical characters.  But in doing so we may fail to respect the years of obscurity that were often behind these significant men and women of God.  I think A.B. Simpson captures this thought very well in Seeing the Invisible:

It was from the wilderness of Gilead that Elijah came to startle the centuries with his bold and mighty voice; it was from the deserts of Arabia that Paul returned to give the Gentile nations the gospel; it was from the quiet years of Nazareth and the carpenter’s bench that Jesus went forth to the ministry from which all other ministries flow; and still God teaches His servants, in the school of silence, separation and communion with Himself, the secret of their life work.  

There are things that can only be learned in the dark.  Obscurity is one of God’s favorite tools in developing His choicest saints.  Some are later brought out into prominent roles in this life.  Others await their day in the light…in the age to come.

 

The incredible power of Jesus praying for you

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Jesus' prayers secures our victory!

Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; But I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.

(Luke 22:31-32)

I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”  (John 21:18-19)

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:6)

Peter’s denial of Christ was no doubt a heart-breaking, soul-crushing experience for him.  He had argued with the Lord about it, when Jesus had predicted the denial.

There is no doubt that even after Christ’s resurrection that Peter’s former denial must have hung over his head like a dark cloud.  It certainly was a healing thing for Jesus to speak to Peter about love and about feeding His sheep.  Jesus still wanted to use Peter!  And Jesus knew everything about Peter! Though Peter had earlier contradicted Jesus’ prediction about impending denial, he does not dare to consider that he knows himself now.  So he says to Christ, “Lord, you know all things.”

Peter’s self-confidence and pride are demolished.  He’s humbled to a place of utter dependance on Jesus.

But then Jesus predicts Peter’s future again.  But this time it’s not about denial.  In verse 18 Jesus predicts not only Peter’s martyrdom, but that it would be a death that glorifies God.  We know from the histories of the early church in the Roman empire that Christians who had been arrested for their faith in Christ were usually given the chance to denounce their faith and escape the death sentence. Actually, it was a rather large conflict what to do with the many Christians who under the threat of death had renounced their faith in Christ.  Many of these believers afterward wanted to return to the church.

Peter had already proven he was much more of a coward than he had ever dreamed.  Would he fall again?  Could he be trusted again?  Jesus’ prophecy about Peter’s martyrdom answered these fears!  Peter would not deny the Lord again.  

Can you imagine how liberating this would have been to Peter? The same Jesus who knew for sure that Peter would initially deny the Lord, also knew that Peter would stand firm until his God glorifying death as an old man.

This prophecy was no doubt a comfort to Peter, when in the early days of the church he was imprisoned on several occasions!

The application for us is that Jesus is just as able to bring each of us through the trials of our faith.  He “ever lives to make intercession for the saints.”  His prayers carried Peter through his greatest failures and would secure his greatest victories! 

Christ’s prayers are equally powerful and effective on our behalf.  The work He has begun in us He will be faithful to complete.

Just like Peter, those of us who have truly come to Jesus will persevere to the end.  And not because salvation depends upon our faith.  But because we are carried along by the strength and faith of Another.  I think we should face the future without fear.  This is a liberating truth.  Think about it.

Question 6: Are you an approval addict?

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Are you distracted by the opinions of people?

 

Are you overly concerned with the approval of men?  Does your concern with the opinion of people override good decision-making?    

Everyone regularly deals with the pressure of people’s expectations – real or perceived.  And every leader faces more than his/her fair share of it.  It’s especially difficult in pastoral roles.     

Pastors and pastoral people are called to love people and nurture them.  By nature we want to please them.  But if you are not careful, your decision-making can become a very complicated rat’s nest of multiple opinions and expectations all vying for equal footing.    

If your desire to be liked has an unhealthy influence on your decision-making, your leadership, ministry, or church could be in deep trouble.  Jesus said, “I only do what I see my Father doing…”  The apostle Paul said, “If I were still trying to please men I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10b). Paul sometimes had to make decisions that he knew wouldn’t please some people.  There’s always a price to be paid to lead.  If you can’t pay the price, you’ll stop leading and instead be manipulated by your environment.   Some people hated Paul, others actually hunted him like an animal.  The consequences of our decisions are rarely so problematic! (Thank God!)  But like Paul we need to come to terms with the priority of pleasing God first and foremost, even more than people.    

It’s important to become deeply established in the great truths of the gospel if you are to win the battle against the “approval addiction”.  The transformational truths of who you are “in Christ” and of God’s love and acceptance of you in Christ are so essential if you are to stand secure in the midst of the many winds of public opinion (and Christian opinion.)      

Years ago I served under a very wise older pastor who shared the following precept with me. I thought it was powerful.  I share it here from memory:    

Thou art no better if thou art praised, nor the worse if thou art dispraised.  For as thou art, thou art.  And whatsoever may be said of thee, thou art no better than Almighty God, Who looketh upon the heart, will witness thee to be.” (Thomas a Kempis)    

Are you an approval addict? Do you often find it hard to hear from God in the midst of all the competing voices?  If so, I encourage you to intentionally do something about it.    

  • How frequently do you feel spiritually, mentally, or emotionally discouraged over the real or perceived opinions of others?

     

  • How long has it been since you deeply felt the Father’s approval of you?  Are you still trying to earn or win God’s approval? Does this square with the revelation of the Gospel?

     

  • Take a few minutes and spontaneously write down ten things that you know to be true of you now that you are God’s child and have a new identity “in Christ”. (This is “setting your mind on the things above…”)

     

  • How can you intentionally meditate on these kinds of truths during your normal work day?  Write them on note cards and carry them with you to work? Spend your coffee break or lunch at the park in quiet meditation and prayer?