Leadership is Facing Fear—Judges 6: 14-21; Luke 8:22-25
This week, in our series on Christian Leadership in Present Times we consider one of the strongest questions or issues we have when we suddenly or unexpectedly find ourselves in leadership positions—the fear that goes with it. A friend of mine was preparing for a large presentation a few years ago. He had the support of all the coworkers around him and employees who worked under him. He was prepared, energized, and ready to offer a powerful presentation. As he sat down in the room and got situated, he looked back over his shoulder and suddenly realized they were not there. In this instance he was on his own and the job fell to him.
That old anxiety rose up deep from within. He felt first the knot in his throat, the pounding in his temples, the blurriness of his vision, and finally the dreaded churn in his stomach. He ran from the room overtaken by the anxiety, the fear, and the dry heaving. Fear and anxiety (and I don’t mean the actual diagnosable disorder here) are such powerful and paralyzing forces in our lives, but faith and the call to lead for Christ push us to move beyond our fear and anxiety and find God’s power in our lives. Facing fear with God’s help demands that we go as God sends, that we seek Jesus in the storm, and that we rest safe in God’s power to deliver.
Facing our fears and our anxieties, with God’s help, demands that we continue to follow on as God leads us. Even when the dread looms strongly in our lives, we must put one foot in front of the other and keep walking because God will walk with us. It is easy, though, when we become anxious or fearful to get this paralyzing sensation. It’s like everything around us stops, and we cannot go forward even when we know we have to do so.
Gideon struggled with this. God called him lead the Israelites to conquer the Midianites, and God said to him, “Go with the strength you have…I am sending you!” Gideon, however, went to that age-old phrase which rears its ugly head every time we are worried or just don’t want to do it, “But, Lord…” I’m weak, I can’t, I’m tired, it’s too much, no, no please!” God gave Gideon a sign, then another, then another. God promised to be with Gideon. The Holy One, the God of All, who is the foundation of our life and relationship and faith promised Gideon, and Gideon didn’t trust it. Sometimes you don’t need a sign, you just need to get up and go.
But maybe it’s worse than expected. Not only is there anxiety and fear, but the storm can clearly be seen, and it’s rocking the boat so hard that you feel destruction is imminent. What do you do? Simply put, we should seek Jesus. The disciples in our Gospel found themselves trapped in a storm described as “fierce.” All hope was gone—the wind was howling, boat getting full of water, and danger was beginning to overwhelm them just as the colossal waves were overtaking the boat. Side note here: not only did Jesus sleep through the raging storm, the shouting disciples, and the rocking boat, he had to also be soaking wet if it was filling with water. If you ever wondered what the peace of Jesus looks like, there you have it.
What did the disciples do when it became too much? They sought Jesus. In an instant he calmed the storm. Seeking Jesus should be the first thing we do, not the last resort. Jesus didn’t keep the storm from happening, but he made sure the disciples did not get harmed. He calmed the storm just at the right time. There are two ways God works here: you either get delivered from the storm or you get delivered the strength to withstand the storm. Either way, to be a leader, you and Jesus must deal with the storm together.
But we must still find our way to Jesus in the midst of the storm around us. If I were to confess to you now, I would have to say that I’m worried and anxious every day. It’s one of my many human qualities. I worry about what I can say to lead a congregation far more experienced and mature in faith. You’re not old by any stretch, but you have a few more collective life experiences than I do. I worry about how COVID is going to affect my church members, each and every one. I worry about those who are alone and in isolation that the strain may be too great. The news, work, managing relationships with other people—all of this gives me so much anxiety, and I know for you the storm is very real too. Each and every time the waves crash and the lightning cracks, there is a reminder; however, that Jesus is sleeping nearby, not because he doesn’t care, but because he is the Prince of Peace. Seek Jesus as soon as the storm clouds form.
Finally, we can rest safe in the Savior who has the power to calm the storm. Elisha Hoffman was a musician, choral leader, and hymnwriter. He taught many students the art of church music and worship. One day he received two messages in the same day from former students. Both of their wives had died, and they were devastated. Devastated himself and fearful of what his students would have to endure in grief and heartache, Hoffman turned to his Bible and found the scripture Deuteronomy 33:27, “The eternal God is your refuge, and [God’s] everlasting arms are under you.” From there he wrote a familiar verse, “What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms?”
We can rest safe because the God who created all things has the power to deliver us from evil or deliver us the strength to withstand what comes against us. Gideon wanted sign after sign from God, but eventually, and with only a few hundred fighters, he conquered the Midianites through God’s help. As soon as the disciples sought Jesus to help and save them, Jesus came out and spoke to the storm, and it stopped. He says to the stunned disciples, “Where is your faith?” The Gospel of Matthew adds that he rebuked them, saying, “O you of little faith.”
Sometimes, in the worst storms we have, all we have left is our faith. Sometimes, when we see ourselves in leadership roles, the first thing we say is, “But God!” or “I can’t!” We ask for signs we already know are there like Gideon, or we lose our faith in one fell swoop when the storms come up like the disciples. Your faith in God to give strength is the most precious thing you have. We will still be anxious. We will still have fears. We will still endure pain, heartache, and all the other troubles, storms, and battles here on earth. The loss of a loved one still hurts deeply. The sickness we face still saps the joy out of us and gives us great fear in its place. The dull ache of exhaustion will still cripple us from time to time. That’s probably the bad news.
But the good news is that God will be there with us. Just as God led Gideon to victory, God will be our strength and shield. Just as Jesus calmed the storm, we will be helped when we cry out to the Savior. When I’ve called out to Jesus, I’ve learned a lesson. I still had to face the problem before me. But I knew that God was with me. And when you face fear and anxiety, God will be with you too. When Jesus asks, “Where is your faith?” may we joyfully say, right here in the God who fought with Gideon and calmed the storm for the disciples.
Worship Video: https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/2958609907689503