I used to spend a lot of time and energy worrying about the world ending. When I was pretty young I remember seeing some magazine claim on its cover a predicted date of Armageddon. When I was a little older we went through the whole Y2K scare. Through college and into “adulthood” it was the Yellowstone caldera or North Korea’s nukes that kept me from falling asleep. Today we are living through an actual pandemic and wondering what transformations may take place regarding health and human rights.
There are lots of things that threaten and strike fear in us.
What I am realizing is that people’s worlds end.
All. The. Time.
My cousin’s husband died of ALS a few weeks ago. The world, as she and her kids knew it, was over. A family in a previous congregation had a son who died by suicide. World over. Families, communities, countries deal with death – and the threat of death – constantly. Physical death of friends and family, yes, and other deaths and endings of worlds we once knew– job endings, moves, natural disasters, divorce. We feel overwhelmed, unmotivated, hopeless.
Folks are looking more and more for strong leadership. One of the most effective and empowering ways to lead is through powerful questions:
What tools and strategies help you work through your fears?
When identifying your own fears – personally and professionally – where are you finding courage and motivation?
How, in your context as a leader, are you finding hope?
How are you infusing hope in those around you?
How can you be more deliberate in looking for hope in your daily life?
Though the future feels uncertain, how are you and your team setting intentional, measurable goals for the future?
And my current personal favorite, especially when the inundation of overwhelming information threatens to paralyze and keep me from taking any action:
What is your next, most faithful step?
Sometimes the answer to that last question for me is something like: “Maybe I should write a blog about unity.” “Maybe I can start a book study on Waking Up White.” “Maybe I should buy a few coffees for my nurse friend, so the next time she comes into the coffee shop on her way to the hospital she hears how appreciated she is for her selfless and exhausting work.”
And often the answer is as simple as, “Well, it will probably help to take a shower.” “I think I need to go do a puzzle or play ‘Guess Who’ with my six (almost seven! How?) year-old.” Or, “Maybe I should shoot an encouraging text out to someone who has been on my heart lately.”
Will our worry and fear cease completely? Unfortunately not until good ole’ J.C. comes back again. Meanwhile, how can we walk faithfully forward and encourage others to walk with us? How can we lead boldly, modeling hope, innovation, inspiration, and courage? And how can we help each other identify our next most faithful step? Let me know what you come up with!
