The Shift

The shift from where you are as a leader to where God wants you to be is not for the faint of heart. The good news is that we have models to learn from. Take for instance Abram, who was given specific instructions 1. Get out of your country. 2. Get out from your kinfolks. 3. Get out from your father's house. 4. Go to a land that God, himself, will show you.

Abram was a successful leader, who made many mistakes. The first of these series of mistakes was to allow his nephew, Lot, to travel with him. What part of get out from your kinfolks and from your father's house didn't Abram understand? Or maybe Abram allowed it because Lot's father and grandfather had passed on, and he felt obligated to Lot. Or maybe it was because Abram was afraid to do the job alone. We know that Abram struggled with fear because he lied about Sarai being his wife. I don't know what Abram was thinking, but I do know that it cost him time and money. He even had to rescue Lot.

One important lesson we leaders must learn is that in order to make the shift we must obey the instructions. The second lesson to learn is that partial obedience is in fact disobedience. The third lesson is that disobedience cost time and money.

The shift from the familiar to the unfamiliar can only occur by faith, faith to obey, faith to not take hitchhikers and faith that God knows what he is doing. Early in my leadership walk, God gave me an assignment that seemed too hard. I talk about it in my new book, "No Bugs, Just Profits". I was afraid so I did a partial obedience, which is nothing short of disobedience. I am so grateful for grace and mercy. Now I can shift when necessary and not be afraid.

So what's the point of the shift from the familiar to the unfamiliar? The point is that the shift is a necessary process in our leadership walk.  In the familiar, as a leader, we are very likely to take God and his people for granted. In the familiar we are possibly not as creative as we need to be. In the familiar we can become complacent. Abram’s father died in Haran and his brother, who was also Lot’s father died in Ur. Both missed Canaan. The familiar does not grow us in our faith and cannot get us to the promise land.

What is God shifting in your life today leader? Do you have the faith to obey so you can get to your wealthy place?