Biblical Leadership: 5 Steps to Know God’s WillExemplo

Step 4. Check Your Motivation

Perhaps you’ve been praying for direction or clarity regarding a leadership issue for 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 already “in the groove” and right where God wants you to be. 

Leadership success can 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

Your calling as leader is not to be the most successful manager, executive or owner by the world’s standard. Remember that Jesus never equated success with being in God’s will. Rather, He promoted a model of serving others, helping the needy, caring for the poor – summarizing all of Gods’ law as follows:

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  – Matthew 22:37-39

Just as Jesus prays for the coming of God’s Kingdom in the Lord’s Prayer, so it is your purpose to help build God’s Kingdom in your role as leader serving others – and completing the good works which God has already prepared especially for you! Therefore, as you seek God’s will for your leadership, it’s especially important to remain humble and find what God wants – not to seek confirmation of what you think you already know!

And this is doubly true 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?