I recently heard a pastor state the following: stress doesn’t change you; it reveals you. I don’t know about you, but I have seen an awful lot of things revealed about a lot of people in the past few years—amazing resilience, disappointing decisions, resetting priorities, and sometimes shocking opinions. As leaders, I think we have realized many things about ourselves, some not so pretty.
Perhaps we share a few of these revelations:
- The unknown triggers fear
- Fear triggers anger
- Anger looks for a target to blame
On the other hand:
- Shared gratitude goes a long way
- God knows us better than we know ourselves
- A listening ear is rare and very much appreciated
Look to God’s People for Inspiration
As we travel through the ebbs and flows of our leadership journeys, those of us in Christian education have a solid foundation on which we stand. We are reminded in Ecclesiastes 1 that, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” There is peace to be gained from knowing that, and by looking back at what God has done in the lives of his people in the past, we gain wisdom as well.
Let’s briefly look at a few examples from the Bible:
- Jonah: Look what stress did to Jonah—he went running as fast as he could!
- Judas: The almighty dollar superseded his relationship with Jesus.
- Peter: The quintessential over-reactor in every stressful situation. He denied Jesus, he spoke without doing any personal editing, and he even lashed out with a sword.
Then look at:
- Daniel: He basically jumped into a lion’s den and willingly went into a furnace. Stress? What stress?
- Esther: She showed courage and the art of persuasion in the face of a mighty king.
- Jesus: I don’t think I need to go into details here. In any comparison of Jesus’ reaction during a stressful situation to ours would be pointless.
Pay Attention to What God Is Asking You
Over the past 10–15 years, I’ve often asked myself the same question when I am faced with a decision: Am I being Jonah or am I a Daniel? Is the prompting I feel to leave/flee a situation/job the Holy Spirit nudging me, or am I, like Jonah, making decisions based on avoidance? If the situation/job I have is difficult, is God asking me to stand firm? That tension is real. So is the stress.
As you read this right now, I wonder if you would quickly think about what the stress of this past year or two has revealed about you? What fruit of the spirit shone? Which has flickered?
When it’s all said and done, the light of Christ continues to shine brightly and boldly across the world. Though pushed and stressed, God is moving deeply within the walls of Christian schools. We are reimagining, refocusing, and reconnecting in ways that reflect the body of Christ. Yes, I realize that some days it is a dim flicker, but looking at the big picture, God has shined his face upon us very brightly. Isn’t it exciting to be a part of this movement in Christian education as this very moment? It takes a group effort at every school site to make this happen, and what joy it is to lead teachers, administrators, boards, and staff who have dug in and are doing the hardest and most sacrificial work of their lives. God is honoring that at your school and beyond.
I have seen deep levels of cooperation and care for each other as I visit schools around the country. I see the excitement of schools experiencing growth. God is faithful! So, take a few deep breaths. Reflect on God’s goodness, on what you can celebrate each and every day. Reflect, learn, and then move forward. You are God’s instruments of kindness, peace, love, care; witness these to your community and the rest of the world. That God would call us to this great work really should amaze us.
Remember, We Get to Do God’s Work
We get to do God’s work. We get to sharpen each other. We get to encourage. We get to share the character of Christ every moment of every day. We are a microcosm of the body of Christ. Imperfect in each one but made in the image of our Creator. May those truths and all of God’s truth shine forever so that each of our communities may know that God is in your school.
In Numbers 6:24–26 the emphasis of using THE LORD three times reminds us that He is the source of all goodness in life. The emphasis on the Lord as the source of all these things is very powerful. Basically, God is saying, “My people, when you enjoy health, remember that My grace has given it to you. When you succeed, do not forget that I am its source. Recall that no good gift is possible without Me.”
Be bold and do the work with joy!
Jennifer Thompson is the chief executive officer for Christian Schools International. Reach her at gro.enilnoisc@nospmohtj.
By looking back at what God has done in the lives of his people in the past, we gain wisdom as well.