It Could Make the Difference

Hey Valiant Leader, Faithful Follower, Committed Attendee: 

Do you feel like something has stalled in your organization, ministry or small group? Have you seen your team grow stagnant and uninterested in what you're doing, or at the very least, do they appear to be simply going through the motions? Does what you're doing seem like hard work when it didn't seem that way before?If you answered yes to any of these questions, I'd like to ask you another one. Are you praying for those in your organization, small group, place of leadership or those in leadership over you? That could be the missing link.

Those places we serve are made up of people. People have lives. Life gets hectic, scary and weary at times. This all trickles down into our teams. We need to cover our people in prayer, regularly. These are folks we've been given to do life with, or at least a small part of it, and in order to get things done, it works best when everyone is functioning at the top of their game.  

Please hear me. I'm not saying that you should pray for your people so that their stuff doesn't get in the way when it comes time to get down to business. No! In fact, dealing with our stuff in the midst of trying to take care of business can be very helpful for the group at large as walls are often down and people tend to get honest when they feel safe. That's all good and necessary at times. However...  

We honor those we serve alongside when we bring them before the Father's throne. Whether it's your Sunday School teaching partner, a committee member, or small group leader, we should lift these souls up to the Lord because we never know what may be going on in their world the rest of the time when we're not with them getting things done. Some will share and give us some insight, but not all. Let's listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and lift up those individuals when He brings them to mind. In fact, let's be intentional about making this a regular thing.

I recently embarked upon on a new discipline. In the past, I'd pray for my team especially when I knew they had tough circumstances going on in their lives, when my heart was especially grateful for them, or when thoughts of individual team members continually came to mind... Now I keep a Prayer Journal and I pray for each of them on a specific day of the week. I've never kept a prayer journal before, although I've written prayers in my regular journal. Keeping a journal just to record prayer requests and answers, is a new discipline for me - one that I'm still working on getting the hang of, for sure. Yet I'm enjoying remembering my team members on a more consistent basis.  

I love my team! I have never been so challenged before by a group of ordinary everyday women, who love Jesus and love people. It sounds cliche'. but serving alongside them inspires me to become better as a leader. Their love for me, service to me and to others whom they serve, humbles me deeply and humbled is where I need to stay. 

I want to be the leader they deserve and a leader who honors the Lord in her service. I also want the same for them. So I pray.

It's good for us to pray for those we have influence over. In fact, it is right that we do so. Praying not just for our efforts in the things we do, but also for those in which we do them for and with, helps prepare the way for God to move and work in us, our places of influence and relationships, and also in others.  So as you're prepping, making plans and dreaming, don't forget to pray for those working along side you and for those you're working for. You might just begin to see a difference in what your team does and how they do it.