A Powerful, Peaceful Thought

I am always looking for people who are doing better and smarter work than me so I can learn from them. I listen so I can maybe shave a few extra steps off my journey where possible, and overall grow as a person, leader and pastor. I know that if I am limited to using only my own ideas, not only am I in trouble, but so is my church.

So when I got the opportunity to visit with a prominent pastor (name withheld by request), I took it. A small number of other pastors got to hang with him for a day, pick his brain, watch his process, and basically soak in whatever wisdom, leadership and spiritual growth we could carry away. I learned a great deal in that day, and I'm already putting some of it into practice in my life and in my leadership, but one nugget for sure is worth sharing.

He said that one of the thoughts that he holds onto every day is this: "I have nothing to prove and no one to impress."

Seriously, read that again.

This is an impressive guy. He's got an impressive church. He's doing impressive ministry on a national stage, and making a HUGE difference in his community. But his ministry has been built on this idea. He's made choices to not grow his church as fast as it possibly could grow, in favor of sustainability, sanity and health for him and his staff, volunteers and the rest.

When I took the role of Lead Pastor at LifePoint Church 6 months ago, I realized that I could easily fall into the trap of pushing to 'earn' what I had been given me. Much like grace, sometimes we want to earn what God has freely given us by our own good works, even though the Bible teaches we cannot add anything to what Christ has done for us. As a pastor, it's easy to think to yourself, "I'm saved by grace, but I minister by works" as if God will not love me if I'm not killing myself, over-committing, and burning the candle at both end's and in the middle, too. There's always something to do, always someone to talk to, always one more box to check. But who am I trying to impress with my schedule? What am I trying to prove with my hectic, worried pace? Does it make me a better pastor? A better leader? A better Christ-follower? I don't think so.

Hearing this obviously successful leader admit that he's trying to continue to live by this axiom, and hearing how he succeeds at that most of the time, I was able to take a huge, deep breath of peace. I do not have to impress anyone, either. I don't have to earn what has been given to me. I didn't hear this as a call to be a slacker (Proverbs calls them "sluggards"). Certainly, I must do what I've been called to do, and do it to the best of my abilities. But no more than that. I have no one to impress (meaning if God is happy with me, who else matters?), and nothing to prove (I can't add to what God has done for me, so what else is there?)

I feel like I'm giving my best to God in this new adventure, and I feel like I'm honoring Him with my time. At the same time, I am feeling a peace with myself and my life that can only be explained as supernatural. God is giving me peace, because I'm able to say: I have nothing to prove, and no one to impress.

This thought has layered peace on my heart. I hope it does the same for you.