Monday Musings // Stand Your Ground

We’re called to live a life of submission and servanthood, but when does God want us to stand our ground to achieve His will through us, even though we are surrounded by other leaders who are following Him just as passionately as we do? And how do we recognize it?

I learned an invaluable lesson recently when I wanted to introduce Vertical Church Band’s “The Rock Won’t Move”. Our pastor was teaching on rising above our circumstances to live a life of freedom and joy. Being one of the worship leaders, I sent the song to our worship pastor. To my surprise, she said we should wait two weeks to have time to learn it and have a different and bigger team to do it well. I replied saying it was okay, but a nagging feeling started coming over me. The next morning, I talked to my accountability partner about it, and then met with the worship pastor, who talked about a couple of issues that had come up in her conversation with other leaders. I addressed them point by point, and in the end she told me to go for it. When Sunday arrived, we actually nailed the song, and the people were deeply moved.

The takeaway is very simple. While this post is in no way a permission slip for bullying or forcing your own way, I want to let you know that God wants to use you and work through you where you are planted. There are times when He is calling you to take the lead and work through any issues that might arise as you are going for it. Here are a few guideposts you can use on your journey:

• Pray – You better make sure that what you’re thinking is indeed God’s will.
• Consult – go to a trusted and safe friend and share your heart. Listen closely to their input so you can be safe as you bring it up with others.
• Don’t fear to revisit – If the feedback doesn’t sit right with you, pray, sleep over it and bring it up again if you’re sure you are to keep pursuing it.
• Do it in love – I didn’t start a confrontation but slept overnight, actually getting confirmation from God that this was indeed what He wanted.
• Speak clearly – I answered each concern with accurate answers that addressed them completely and convincingly (Thank you Jesus for that!)
• Show your appreciation – Let your leaders and others know how much you appreciate their flexibility and trust in you.

 

Our culture has distorted serving and obedience to mean that we are doormats, but it couldn’t be further from the truth. God wants to work through us as a team, so it means that we respect others but also stand our ground when we sense that God is calling us to it. The real issue is learning to be loving and flexible, and when the whole team signs on the dotted line, miracles will happen!

Standing your ground when needed frees you to be a leader. It shows your team that you are living out your calling and listening to God. When you are mature and emotionally healthy, it shows them that you are a leader with vision from God. We cannot fear conflict, but we must learn to embrace it as a natural process in finding our way forward together. The key is to do it lovingly, valuing each other within the process. We are called to respect and love our leaders, peers, and followers.

This musing is not an excuse to become belligerent and start insisting your own way. At the end of the day, Jesus calls us to die to ourselves, but we have to understand that doing His will sometimes requires us to stand our ground in the context of a loving team. So go and make a difference! God has shaped you in a completely unique way, and your church team would not be the same without you. Learning to know when to hold your ground will enhance your impact and help you soar in your calling.