The Inner Work of Leadership: The Case of Nehemiah
The book of Nehemiah portrays its central figure, Nehemiah, as a person who gets the job done. We might even say that he demonstrates a bias for action. But it’s essential to note that Nehemiah doesn’t act apart from doing the inner work of leadership. In fact, it would be accurate to say that his activity and success as a leader are founded on his intentional inner work. Moreover, as Nehemiah’s example reminds us, we often do this by setting aside time for an extended conversation with God in which we pour out our hearts and hopes without holding back. In Scripture, prayer is a crucial feature of deep inner work that leads to effective leadership.
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“Can’t” Can’t Be, Anymore (Part 2)
How do we get to a redemptive imagination, a view of life that sees Christ involved in the life of the lost? Involved in poverty? Involved in homelessness? In brokenness and wholeness? We have to look at three things: who we worship, who we love, and what we decide to do.
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“Can’t” Can’t Be, Anymore (Part 1)
Jesus came to give us a better perspective and better imagination—a redemptive imagination, really; a view of this world and life that considers the fact that if God the Father can send _his own son_ into the world and let him die for all of us so that we never have to worry about death again, then just perhaps he can use us to save others, help with homelessness, and figure out a way for us to be together even when things break down.
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Further Reflections on the Inner Work of Jesus
As we do the inner work required of leaders, the story of the temptation of Jesus reminds us of how Scripture makes such a difference. Not only does the Bible reveal to us who God is, who we are, and what we’re called to do, but it also helps us see into our own hearts and minds. When we face temptations that would take us away from our best work, God will help us do the inner work that enables us to clarify our true identity and calling.
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Inner Work as Preparation for Leadership: The Case of Jesus
When he was tempted by the devil, Jesus did what we would call “inner work.” In this case, the inner work of Jesus had to do with questions such as: _Who am I? What is my mission? How am I to act in light of my true identity?_ Though you and I won’t be working through questions like these as the fully human, fully divine Son of God, we do have to figure out who we are and what is our life’s purpose. Along the way, we often have to reject opportunities that, however tempting they may be, are not what God has for us to do.
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Inner Work as Preparation for Leadership: The Case of Moses
The story of Moses at the burning bush reminds us of something we have seen many times before in this _Life for Leaders _series on inner work. Yes, inner work is something we do. And, yes, it often happens when we are by ourselves, in a place to reflect thoughtfully and feel freely. But inner work is also something we do with God. We may never have an epiphany as astounding as a voice from a burning bush, but we are certainly welcomed and encouraged to invite God into our internal process. Moreover, it is often the case that we begin our inner work in response to God’s prior invitation. In conversation with God, we can reflect honestly upon our strengths and weaknesses. We can be honest about our fears and look to God for confidence and courage. Thus, our inner work helps us prepare for the leadership tasks that lay before us.
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Where’s Jesus?
If you were to keep reading the Gospel of Mark, you’d find tension continuing between a Jesus who asks to have his kingdom not revealed yet and a Jesus who is getting more and more famous by the minute.
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Oh, Be Careful, Lips and Heart
The Psalmist is viewing God as his source for personal discipline in the middle of his circumstances as he asks God to discipline his speech and his heart.
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The Sacrifice of Brokenness
It would be easy for us to assume that what we offer to God when we have sinned is not only our sorrow, but also our intention to do better. We might think, “If I promise that I won’t sin this way again, then God will forgive me.” But Psalm 51 offers quite a different perspective. Notice that the sacrifice acceptable to God is “a broken spirit, a broken and crushed heart.” We don’t come before God with our lives all put together. We don’t come even with our hopeful promises to do better in the future. Rather, we come in our brokenness and pain. We come acknowledging how messed up we are and, therefore, how desperate we are for God’s mercy and grace.
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Inner Work and Inner Renewal
Psalm 51 reminds us that honest inner work will help us to see things in us that are not so pretty, things that need cleansing, and ways in which we need spiritual transformation. Inner work doesn’t focus only on such things, of course, but it mustn’t neglect them either. The good news is that God will help us, not only to identify ways in which sin has corrupted our hearts, but also to have our hearts renewed by God’s grace.
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Inner Work, Truth, and Wisdom
The “personal process of ongoing inner-work” isn’t something we do by ourselves. Psalm 51:6 reminds us that God teaches us wisdom in our secret hearts. Thus, on the one hand, God helps us to identify and root out false beliefs through a variety of means, including the study of Scripture, Christian community, reflection, prayer, and experience. On the other hand, God teaches us the truth about the world, ourselves, and God’s own nature. As this happens, God also gives us the wisdom to know how best to use this truth in our life and leadership.
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Fishers of Folk
The Sundays after Epiphany are the Sundays when we think about how God makes his kingdom manifest in the world, and how the light of Jesus was and is revealed.
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I’m the Biggest Thing in This Whale
Are you ready to be a messenger in the hand of God and an agent of God’s mercy?
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The Inner Work of Repentance and Self-Discovery
Psalm 51 provides a striking example of a certain kind of inner work. In this psalm we see David dealing, not only with his sinful actions, but also with his sinful heart. When we have done what is wrong, we have the opportunity to do the inner work of repentance and self-discovery. But this sort of work takes courage. The Spirit of God will help us to deal honestly with both our actions and our hearts.
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Will You Examine Your Heart?
King David was “a man after God’s own heart.” But even such a man can do wrong, and in 2 Samuel 11 David lets his lust and power take over, doing things that are horrible even to imagine. Though he planned to move on with his life as if nothing terrible had happened, God had other plans, sending the prophet Nathan to confront David. In the end, David admits that he sinned against the Lord. This story prepares us to dig into Psalm 51, which reveals the inner work David does of dealing honestly with himself and his sin.
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