Submitting to church leadership

Ezra 7:10 -For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments. (21^st KJV)

Submitting to leadership is something that has been on my heart but then I realize it was submitting to church leadership, not just leadership. Maybe it is because of a choice I made this summer, I do not know. However, I do know it is something most struggle with; from the pulpit to the benchwarmer; and all in between. We struggle, I believe, because we do not understand and do not see the bigger picture of submitting, and fail to realize we combat daily the original sin. Some may say, well we follow leadership everywhere else but we really don’t. We tend to just do enough to keep us employed or get by; no more. The perspective of ‘do what you feel attitude’, what you have the right to do, and not what is right, consumes us more than it should. This attitude has us all doing a couple things- believing every man for himself and God for us all, and taking an incident or occurrence that is temporal and extend it beyond the moment.  The temporary, we drag it out further than it needs to be in our life. In the bible it states God grants us new mercies each morning, and weeping may endure for the night but joy comes in the morning. Not so much for us as Christians, we grant no mercies except for ourselves, and the weeping seems to never end. Why? We never understood what it means to follow in the church. We like to think it is about our feeling, a focus on self, but it is not. It is about obedience, focus on the bigger picture, purpose- for Christians, it is God. Not your feelings, those are fleeting and fickle at best, but faith. Not because the leader at the church 'ain't right' or s/he has proclivities less than church like. But if we are honest with ourselves, we ain't right either, and we have our own penchants or tendencies we need to work on as well. Maybe it is because you expect the leader to be a man after God’s own heart like David; we seem to forget what David did in his lifetime. Or maybe you do not submit to the leader in your church because you expect him/her to be above reproach in all ways; imperfection cannot give you perfections 100! I asked, what would you do, if the people you lead, supervise, because we all do in some capacity, would not follow you because of the same reason? We would not like it so much.

The thing is this, no one is making any of us stay in the church we are in; from the pulpit to the benchwarmer; and everyone in between. We are there for a reason, and if not, we have freewill, leave. However, if you believe God call you to be there, in the church you are in at this time, then do what is right, and let Him, God, handle the rest. Remember Jesus was lead to the wilderness, he submitted; we forget that. He submitted to the unjust courts; we lose sight of this. Jesus was asked to leave the temple as a child, he left; he has the right and the power not to… He knew, thou none went with him, he submitted to leadership at every step. Some would say, he wavered; he had his moment but he never wavered in his focus or obedience. Neither should we in our focus and obedience…Choose…wink

I have learned a couple things and they have helped me to refocus, submit; it ain’t easy!!! But these things has helped me, and I am sharing…

1. Getting things right on your end does not mean everyone will; you still do right….

2. Obedience is greater than sacrifice, and it is not about a feeling but faith…

3. If you trust God, then obey God because submission does not diminish us, it actually increases us…

4. Let God do the chastisement; he is a lot more effective than you could ever be…

5. Let go of the moment; it was never meant to be stretch beyond temporary into infinity. Let it pass, and be at peace, holding only creates chaos!!

6. Stop getting caught in the distractions in life, tangible or not, this is what resulted in Adam and Eve being disobedient and kicked out of the garden…

7. Do not risk tomorrow on today's emotional hang-ups; this too shall pass, it all does

8. Be the change you wish to see in others; it only takes one, to change a million…

9. If you desire a better leader, become a better follower and see your perspective expand and encompass mercy….

10. A leader is the head but we all play a part in the progression or the chaos…

11. Living what you believe is not for the faint of heart or arrogant of mind but a surrendered spirit to a higher power!!!