Tuesday, February 12, 2013

SELF AWARENESS

There are lots of factors that go into successful ministry; or for that matter successful leadership, successful living, and successful relationships.

All of us want to hear these words from the Lord when we see him face to face, "Well done thou good and faithful servant."

By these words, being faithful is the critical component to a successful life.  But being faithful to what?  Most of us want to be faithful in the tasks that are set before us; such as parenting, leading, working hard, handling our finances, etc.  But what about being faithful to ourselves?

What does that look like?  Is our faithfulness connected to the way God has hard-wired us?

We can be faithful to the tasks set before us but if the task doesn't  jive with our gifting, passion, and personality, all we are doing is spinning our wheels.

Unfortunately I know too many pastors and leaders who are busy being faithful, but have such a low self awareness that the fruit of their faithfulness is waning.  Why?  They have not really understood, accepted, are clueless, or in denial of their strengths and weaknesses.

Certainly self awareness is a life long journey.   That journey is an inward one.  There are plenty of diagnostic tools on the market today to help us more clearly define who we are.  I trust good leaders will take that journey seriously.