Every great and successful story has a process. The process is the journey, the time and the cost of seeing great things happen. The problem with me, and most leaders, is that we think the process and the results are synonymous. In essence, I often forget there is a process and believe that I should instantly reach my goal or destination.
That simply is not true. In fact, in life this is rarely, if ever, true.
As a dad, I want my kids to grow up to be godly, smart and productive adults. But, there is a process called childhood and adolescence. There is school, doctors' visits, crisis and great memories along the way! And it takes a couple of decades .... it is not quick.
As a runner I did not start out running marathons. I started by barely being able to run a half-mile at a time without throwing up! In time, over a year, I was able to run five to six miles a day. In a few years, that grew to over 15 miles a day. But, it wasn't without pain, coaching, expensive gear and patience. That was my process and journey.
Or, when God asked Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and to the Promised Land. It took lots of time, lots of pain, lots of frustration and more. In fact, it took decades ... but, when God was ready, the process and journey led the Israelites to the Promised Land. It did not happen overnight!
As a church planter it is no different! I am just getting started. Often I wish we could reach the hundreds and thousands of people goals right away. But, the reality is, I have a process ahead of me. It will require me to be patient, be prepared, be willing and be humble. God uses the process to mature me, to grow my faith and to show me that He has the details under control! But, I am not always patient, humble or prepared.
That's why it is a great thing that God is in control.
As leaders we will enjoy the journey of leading if we learn to appreciate the process and celebrate the journey.
What process are you walking through today?
CC Image • AdamKR on Flickr