Leading with Courage
“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9
What is a leader?
This is a big question, and you could answer it in many different ways. Some people will picture a leader as the loudest voice in the room. Others will think of a leader as the face of a company or organization, the one who receives praise and accolades when things go well (and criticism when times aren’t as good).
One aspect of leadership we don’t often talk about is the need for leaders to be brave. Anyone with experience in leadership understands that leading others isn’t always comfortable. In fact, if you’re leading well, you’ll frequently find yourself in situations where you can’t move forward without intense amounts of courage. Leaders must regularly step outside of their comfort zone, take risks, and galvanize others to move forward, even when facing adversity and uncertainty.
What makes this challenging is that leaders often carry their own fears, insecurities, and uncertainties along with them as they lead. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that leaders have it all figured out. Leaders are on a path of growth, struggle, and development like anyone else. They must recognize when this is happening rather than portraying the misconception that they are already a finished product. Nobody is.
Throughout Scripture, we see examples of courageous leaders acting from conviction rather than a desire for comfort or convenience. Think about Esther’s decision to go before King Xerxes to tell him about the injustice happening to the Hebrew people in the book of Esther. Another great example comes from Daniel 3 when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego boldly choose not to bow before the idol created by King Nebuchadnezzar, even with full awareness of the potential consequences of their actions. Even Gideon, a man who was hiding grain from the Midianites when first introduced in Judges 6:11, displayed extreme bravery and assertiveness when he later pursued the massive Midianite army with only 300 men.
The common denominator throughout each of these stories (and characters) is an awareness of God’s mighty power. Sometimes, acting with courage is only possible when our strength comes from an outside source. Life will wear us down and try to make us focus on things outside of our control. We can fear the unknown, or we can put our trust in the One who created the world and everything in it.
When we find our strength in our faith, we become empowered to live (and lead) through courage regardless of the situations we experience. We also come to appreciate these difficult seasons in a greater way because we recognize the incredible opportunity for growth and development they can provide.
Next time you find yourself in a challenging situation that demands leading with courage, consider how faith could enable you to move forward in confidence. Remember that your goal isn’t to be perfect, but to act from your values and convictions while helping others grow and reach their potential.
“And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 11:1