From Driven to Led: Embracing Sustainable Growth

“My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.” John 10:10-11 (NLT)

Sheep are essentially defenseless animals, so a shepherd carries a few tools to care for and protect his sheep. He has a rod for guarding and protecting, and he uses a staff with a little crook in it to rescue the sheep.

We are like lost sheep in need of protection and direction, so Jesus came to earth to be our Good Shepherd. He said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:10-11 NLT).

Just as a shepherd uses the physical tools of the rod and the staff for direction and protection, God wants to direct and protect you. Here are two ways he does that:

If you follow him, Jesus leads you in the right direction.
You need a guide—a shepherd—to go before you in life. You need Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who leads from the front and calls you forward. This is different from a cowboy, who drives cattle from the back. Jesus is not going to push you through life. He gets in front of you and essentially says, “Watch how I do it. Look where I go.”

John 10:4 says, “When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice” (CEV).

If you bring your hurts to him, Jesus is compassionate.
Jesus has compassion on me, because he knows that I am helpless without him. Matthew 9:36 says, “When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (NIV). The sense in the original Greek text is that Jesus hurt deeply for the people in the crowd and wanted to help them.

In the same way, when I bring my pain to Jesus, he doesn’t put me down; he lifts me up. He doesn’t hassle me; he heals me.

Because of God’s goodness, Jesus directs and protects me. Jesus is my Good Shepherd, who “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 ESV).

In Summary:

In John 10:10-11, Jesus presents Himself as the Good Shepherd who willingly sacrifices His life to provide His followers with a abundant, purpose-filled existence. Unlike a force that drives me from behind, Jesus leads from the front—inviting me to follow His voice and model His path—while actively offering protection and direction through life's hazards. Because sheep are naturally vulnerable, Jesus acts with profound compassion toward my struggles, meeting my pain not with condemnation, but with active healing and restoration. Ultimately, leaning into His leadership allows me to exchange self-reliance for sustainable, divine direction and security.

Bottom Line:

True, abundant growth is not achieved by driving myself harder, but by aligning my daily life with the voice and guidance of the Good Shepherd.

Next Step:

Identify one area of my life where I have been trying to push myself from behind through pure willpower rather than following clear direction. Practice disciplined alignment today by stepping back, inviting divine guidance into that specific decision, and taking one measured action that reflects trust in His protection rather than self-reliant friction.\

Four Strengths in Vulnerability

In James 4:6 I read,  “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (NLT)

My vulnerability is not a weakness. In fact, vulnerability is a strength! God can take my vulnerabilities and make me spiritually empowered, emotionally healed, relationally attractive, and formed for leadership. Here’s how.

First, being open and honest with others about my weaknesses is spiritually empowering because it opens the door to God’s grace: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6 NLT). Grace is the power I need to change and break through my bad habits and weaknesses.

Second, vulnerability is also emotionally healing. James 5:16 says, “Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed” (TLB). If I want to just be forgiven, I don’t need to confess my sin to anyone other than God. But if I want to be healed, I’ve got to share my weaknesses with somebody else. God has wired you in such a way that revealing my feelings is the beginning of healing.

Third, vulnerability is relationally attractive. The Bible says, “We all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2 NIV). James even included himself in that statement. When someone tells me that they mess up too, they become more relatable. Nobody wants to be married to or friends with a narcissist. But when I’m vulnerable, when I admit my weaknesses and maybe even laugh at myself, I’ll draw people in.

Fourth, being vulnerable doesn’t just give me spiritual power, help me heal, and make me more attractive. It’s also a requirement for leadership. If I can’t be vulnerable, I’m not a leader; I’m just a boss. “If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom” (James 3:13 NLT). As I gain God’s wisdom, I also become humbler. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10 NIV). God honors my humility and vulnerability and uses them to form me into a leader.

The Bible can really be countercultural. The world tells me to keep my guard up and not appear weak. But God says to boast in my weaknesses, because they reveal his power and make me more dependent on him.

Will I let my guard down so that my weaknesses can point others to Jesus Christ?

In summary, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. My vulnerability is not a weakness, In fact, it is a strength! God can take my vulnerabilities and make me spiritually empowered, emotionally healed, relationally attractive, and formed for leadership. First, being open and honest with others about my weaknesses is empowering because it opens the door to God’s grace. Grace is the power I need to change and break through my bad habits and weaknesses. Second, vulnerability is also emotionally healing. To be healed, I’ve got to share my weaknesses with somebody else. God has wired me in such a way that revealing my feelings is the beginning of healing. Third, vulnerability is relationally attractive. When someone tells me that they mess up too, they become more relatable. When I admit my weaknesses and maybe even laugh at myself, I’ll draw people in. Fourth, being vulnerable doesn’t just give me spiritual power, help me heal, and make me more attractive. It’s also a requirement for leadership. If I can’t be vulnerable, I’m not a leader. As I gain God’s wisdom, I also become humbler. God honors my humility and vulnerability and uses them to form me into a leader. The Bible can really be counter-cultural. The world tells me to keep my guard up and not appear weak. But God says to boast in my weaknesses, because they reveal his power and make me more dependent on him.

Being open about my vulnerability and weaknesses makes me more relatable. I’m not just sitting high and mighty but also making mistakes, allowing others to see and model how I then depend on God for healing and correction. Being humble and obtaining wisdom from God is a lot better than being wise in my own eyes and understanding. This study this morning is a helpful encouragement in pointing toward God’s power rather than my own strengths.The results of my life should show this. Father, I pray that with help from the Holy Spirit in my life that I embrace my vulnerabilities so that I can be spiritually empowered, emotionally healed, relationally attractive, and formed for leadership and used for your purposes. I ask you for wisdom and guidance for my day, my work, my leadership, my interactions with others, my future job role and what I need to lead a small group to become a community for you and your purposes. I pray these things through you Son Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

I’m Gifted for Such a Time as This

In review of Esther 4:14 it says, “If you keep quiet at a time like this, God will deliver the Jews from some other source, but you and your relatives will die; what’s more, who can say but that God has brought you into the palace for just such a time as this?” (TLB)

When I face challenges in life, seek to know what God wants me to do, and then do it, confident that he will do his part. I don't know ahead of time how he will accomplish his will. Trust God and prepare to be surprised by the ways he demonstrates his trustworthiness.

After I identify my gifts and the needs that stir my heart, there is a third step: Take the time to hear God’s call for my life.

God didn’t recruit me without a calling. God calls everybody to use the gifts and the passion they have, but not everyone picks up the phone.

The only way I’ll hear is if I listen. I’ve got to be quiet. I’ve got to get alone and spend time with God.

When Mordecai sent Esther word that the Jews were going to be annihilated, he basically told her in Esther 4:13-14, “Don’t think that you can just ignore this disturbing trend. Yeah, I know it’s been tough, but this is your destiny. God put you here. It’s no accident that you are a Jewish woman and now the queen of Persia.”

It’s important to read on and see Esther’s response to Mordecai in Esther 4:16: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susan, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days . . . I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law” (NIV).

Esther knows confronting the king is likely to mean certain death. She’s going to have to use her gifts of beauty, intelligence, and personality to persuade him. But before she goes to see him, she sets aside three days to retreat, fast, and pray before God.

As I seek God’s call on my life, I too need to follow Esther’s example. First, get all the support I can. Esther had Mordecai and the Jews pray for her. I need to get my small group to support me in prayer. If I don’t have a small group, now is the time to find one.

And second, get extended time alone with God. Schedule a retreat with God. Whether it's overnight, a weekend, or longer if I can, I won’t hear God’s call on my life if I don’t get alone with him.

In summary, If I keep quiet at a time like this, God will deliver the Jews from some other source, but myself and those I know and work with will suffer. God has brought me into this situation / time for just such a time as this. When I face challenges in life, I need to seek to know what God wants me to do, and then do it, confident that he will do his part. I don't know ahead of time how he will accomplish his will. I just need to trust God and be surprised by the ways he demonstrates his trustworthiness. After I identify my gifts and the needs that stir my heart, take the time to hear God’s call for my life. God didn’t recruit me without a calling. God calls everybody to use the gifts and the passion they have. The only way I’ll hear is if I listen, be quiet, get alone and spend time with God. But before Esther goes to see the king, she sets aside three days to retreat, fast, and pray before God. As I seek God’s call on my life, I too need to follow Esther’s example. First, get all the support I can. Next, get extended time alone with God. I won’t hear God’s call on my life if I don’t get alone with him.

This verse and devotional are in line with something my team mentioned yesterday that made sense for me to do. In my situation, I have been removed from upper leadership. My response has been to back away and let the upper leadership deal with and provide direction. However, what we are seeing is that they are missing so many things and not really providing the guidance needed. I should not be keeping quiet and not taking leadership over the gaps they are leaving. Rather I should do what needs to be done, not only for my team but for the organization they are starting to hurt. I should trust God and finish well.

Father, this morning I pray with the help of the Holy Spirit that I can be re-energized and step up to know what needs to be done. To lead and assist others and the organization. I thank you for providing my team to remind me of this. I also pray for wisdom and guidance for my day, my tasks, my leadership and my interactions with others. I also thank you for providing the opportunity to speak with a leader in a different organization about my passions, my experience and my skill sets. These things I pray and thank you through your Son Jesus, Amen.

Five Ways Jesus Protects and Directs Me

In review of John 10:10-11 it says, “My purpose is to give life in all its fullness. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (TLB).

Today’s passage is from John 10. In verse 10-11 Jesus tells me that the thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I (Jesus) have come in order that I might have life, life in all its fullness. “I am the good shepherd, who is willing to die for his sheep”.

In contrast to the thief who takes, Jesus gives me life, which is abundantly rich and full. It is eternal and begins immediately. Life in Christ is lived on a higher plane because of his overflowing forgiveness, love, and guidance.

A hired hand tends the sheep, but only for money, while the shepherd does it out of love. The shepherd owns the sheep and is committed to them. Jesus is not merely doing a job; he is committed to love me and even lay down his life for me.

Sheep are essentially defenseless animals, so a shepherd uses a few tools to care for and protect his sheep. He uses a rod for guarding and protecting and a staff with a little crook in it to rescue the sheep.

I am much like a lost sheep, so Jesus came to Earth to be my Good Shepherd. Just as a shepherd uses the physical tools of the rod and the staff for direction and protection, God protects and directs me. I’m reminded this morning of five ways he does that:

1). If I bring my hurts to him, Jesus is compassionate. Jesus has compassion on me, because he knows that I am helpless without him (Matthew 9:36). He doesn’t put me down; he lifts me up. He doesn’t hassle me; rather he heals me. “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28 ESV).

2). If I follow him, Jesus leads me in the right direction. The Shepherd goes before. He leads from the front and calls me forward. Jesus is not going to push me through life. He’s going to say, “Watch how I do it. Look where I go.” “When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice” (John 10:4 CEV).

3). If I get confused or wander away, Jesus will find me and bring me back.When God brings me back from wandering away from him, he will not punish me, but he may discipline me. If a shepherd has a sheep that is prone to wander, he will often wrap that sheep’s leg so it can’t move. In the same way, sometimes God gives me a limp to keep me from wandering. “If a man has a hundred sheep but one of the sheep gets lost, he will leave the other ninety-nine on the hill and go to look for the lost sheep” (Matthew 18:12 NCV).

4). If I fail or fall, Jesus rescues me and sets me on the road to recovery. Like all sheep, I not only wander, but I also stumble. When I trust that God is going to restore me and rescue me when I fail, I’ll faithfully run to him every time I mess up. “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not rescue it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!” (Matthew 12:11-12 NIV).

5). If I trust him to save me, Jesus will keep his promise to do just that. It’s not my job to save myself. My job is simply to put my hand in God’s and say, “God, I’m all yours, the good, the bad, the ugly.” I’m learning that God loves me too much to ever let me go. “My Father gave my sheep to me. He is greater than all, and no person can steal my sheep out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:29 NCV).

The goodness of God means he’s going to guide, guard, protect, direct, and save me. No one else can offer me these five benefits. They only come from Jesus, my Good Shepherd.

Bottom Line:

A thief only steals and destroys, Jesus came to give us a full life. He loves us so much that he laid down his life for us.

What this means to me:

Jesus wants me to have an abundant life. He loves me so much that he gave his life for me. If I allow myself to be distracted from Jesus leading, it's much like me following someone or something that will rob everything eternal from me.

In summary, Jesus came so that I might have a full and abundant life. He was willing to die for me to have this. If I bring my hurts to him, he has compassion on me. If I follow him, he will lead me in the right direction. If I get confused or wander, he will bring me back. If I fail or fail, he'll set me back on the road to recovery. If I trust him to save me, he promises to do just that. The goodness of God means he'll guide, guard, protect, direct and save me.

Father thank you for your loving kindness and care to me. You sacrifice a lot just so that I can have an abundant and full life, not only hear on earth but in eternity. Thank you for leading me and guiding me each day as I have asked. My life and effectiveness goes in helpful ways and enables me to make a difference to those I work and interact with. This morning I pray for your continued wisdom and guidance in handling my work task and responsibilities, in leading my team and with my interactions with others. I pray this through your Son Jesus name, amen!

Letting God Take the Driver’s Seat

In review of Matthew 16:24 it says, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am”

Bottom Line:

Give up on your way and let Jesus take the drivers seat

What this means to me:

If I truly want to follow Jesus and be his disciple, then I must give up on my way and let him take the lead (be in the drivers seat).

Today's passage comes from Matthew chapter 16 where Jesus predicts his death. Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem and while there that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders and religious teachers. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. Peter, however, began to reprimand Jesus for saying such things. Jesus turned to Peter and said, "get away from me, you're a dangerous trap for me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, and not from God's". Jesus then told his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up on your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. Trying to hang on to one's life will make you end up losing it. However, if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. What would it benefit you to gain this whole world but lose your own soul?

This is what I’m learning about letting go and letting God take control:

First, I need to continue to make Jesus the manager of my life. The problem is, I usually want to be my own manager, and as such I argue, disagree or just ignore God. I think I know what’s best. The reason for stress is that I’m constantly fighting God in my mind, “I know God says to do this but I want to do that instead!”

Each day when I wake up, I have a decision to make: Who’s going to be in charge of my life? Who’s going to be in control; me or God? Who’s going to call the shots; me or God? Every day, moment-by-moment, I need to make that decision. Whenever I choose to make myself the manager of my own life, it causes conflict, confusion, and stress.

Jesus says in Matthew 16:24, “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am” (MSG). However, I often give him the driver’s seat and then promptly hop into the backseat and become backseat drivers. Constantly giving him “advice,” like, “No, turn this way. Stop. Wait. Faster! I want to go that way. I want to see that sight.”

Life won’t look very good when you’re trying to lead with God at the same time. I need to just let God be God and make Jesus the manager of my life.

Today I will consider areas of my life where I have concerns and stress. If I gave them back over to him, what would it look like? What difference would it make?

Jesus Measures Leadership by Service

In summary of

Mark 10:42b-3 it say,

“They let leadership go to their heads and lord/power over others.  But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant”

Bottom line:

Don’t let leadership go to your head thinking that you’re better than others, instead you serve the rest just like a servant.

What this means to me:

Being a leader doesn’t give me the privilege to kick back, not work hard and power over others.  Instead Jesus explains that a leader is one who serves the needs of the ones they lead.  So for me this means that I need to be careful to not be selfish and lord / power over others.  To do a leadership job that pleases Jesus, I need to have a servants heart and be willing to serve in the way that I lead.  Our culture / world defines being a leader or greatness in terms of power, possessions, prestige, and position. When you can demand service from others, you've arrived. In our self-serving culture with its me-first mentality, acting like a servant is not a popular concept.  Yet God will determine my greatness by how many people I serve and not by how many people serve me.  If I’m not careful (not keeping in mind a having a servant's heart) I can easily be tempted to misuse my God-given SHAPE (spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences) for my own personal gain. While knowing my SHAPE is important for serving God, having the heart of a servant is much more important.   My shape will reveal my ministry, but my servant's heart will reveal my maturity. No special talent or gift is required to stay after a meeting to pick up trash or stack chairs. Anyone can serve. All it requires is character. The best evidence I can have of a servants heart is to look at the results of what I do.  Jesus said, "You can tell what they are by what they do." (Matthew 7:16 CEV)   Today I will think through my attitudes and be sure I am putting on the heart of a servant especially as I lead others at work today.