2024_01_19 Insight Post- Karenna Rowenhorst
This week’s reading- Exodus 2, Acts 7:20-38, Hebrews 11:24-25
Last weekend I attended a leadership forum where the speaker talked a lot about discipline and forming good habits. Not my favorite topic, yet I know that without these foundational skills, there’s a good chance I won’t be in a position to get other things right or to be a good influence for others on my team at work or in my family.
To prepare for the forum, we read a book by Craig Groeschel titled “The Power To Change” and it really clarified some things for me about habits. In the book, Craig talks about starting new, good habits and stopping old, bad habits and how in each case there is a payoff that we want and a pain that we want to avoid. For a good habit, the pain is now and the payoff is later. For a bad habit, the payoff is now and the pain is later. This is why bad habits are hard to stop, and good habits are hard to start!
In Hebrews 11:24-28, we read about Moses and his ability to form good habits and keep the end in mind, instead of taking the easy way out. My favorite verse is this one:
“He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward.” Heb. 11:26 (NLT)
Instead of thinking about what was good in the moment, Moses was able to bear the burdens of his people, the Israelites, because he knew God had a bigger plan and purpose for them all. This happened several times in his life, and the “Hall of Fame” passage about Moses does not disappoint. Moses knew that the payoff later was worth the pain in the present.
Our habits in the present will guide us toward a future that reflects our current choices. This is true from big things like finances and healthy choices in our eating and activity levels, all the way down to small things like brushing our teeth and getting our oil changed. And what we find out is that all the small things build up and influence the big things. Our spiritual life is just the same. Our choices to spend time alone with God, read our Bible, make time for a small group and serving, all add up to a life that reflects our God-influenced priorities and allows us to listen to the Holy Spirit to guide us through difficult circumstances and show us opportunities to help others.
Why was Moses willing to risk everything – his reputation, his family, even his life – to endure suffering and pain in the present, to discipline himself to listen to God’s spirit for guidance, to obey God when it was difficult? Because God…always…comes…through. Moses didn’t fear the future because he knew God would carry him through. Leadership often means you have to be willing to look towards the future and not get stuck with the pain of the present, and Moses lived out that kind of leadership.
How are your leadership skills? How are your habits? You have the opportunity to lead yourself well, under God’s ultimate authority. What habits do you need to start doing? What about habits you need to stop doing? I know I have some work to do this year. And I also know that God’s power is what will give me the ability, the endurance, and the determination to make the changes a reality.
Karenna Rowenhorst
Senior Director of Education