Being a leader is thrilling and troubling at the same time, all the time. I don’t think I have ever had a day that was without a challenge, but I don’t think I have had a day without some victory to celebrate. I have wished that beauty and pain in leadership were siloed from one another, that the bad days and the discouraging news would not clutter the good days and the exciting seasons of leadership. I understand there will be tough times and rough days, but I have wished they could be isolated from the good stuff. What if we could just endure a bad day every now and then and be done with it?
In leadership, perseverance is required.
Christian leaders have an unfair advantage when it comes to perseverance. Christians can persevere because God promises to preserve His people. We can endure through trials because we are held by God’s power and promised that He works all things together for good for those who love Him. We can endure as we consider the One who endured for us. Not everyone has that promise. But we do.
The roots beneath the surface are what bring about the fruit of perseverance. Nehemiah, as he was rebuilding the wall, had plenty of reasons to quit. People were threatening his work and his life from all sides. His enemies surrounded him on every side, mocking his people as feeble, their tools as rubbish, and their work as something a fox could knock down. And just when the external ridicule might have been enough, the fatigue and fear of his own people wore on him too. He did not quit. He kept going, and we see how in Nehemiah chapter four. Notice the beautiful paradox:
“…fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!” (v. 14)
And
“…our God will fight for us!” (v. 20)
He fought but also trusted God was fighting for him. To enjoy the fruit of perseverance, you need both roots of fighting and trusting that God is fighting for you. And as a Christian, you already know who has your back. In my new book, The Rooted Leader, there is a whole chapter focused on the perseverance of the leader.
