1. It’s painful when you have a dream or a goal for your ministry and it doesn’t work out like you thought it would. Leaders push through the pain, pick themselves up and continue to move forward.
2. It’s painful when people you don’t even know begin to attack you or your ministry. Leaders push through the pain and keep their attention on what Jesus has called them to do. They don’t get distracted.
3. It’s even more painful when people you know well begin to attack you or your ministry. Leaders stay close to Jesus, keep their focus on the vision and keep a tender heart while developing thick skin. Leaders learn to push through the pain.
4. It’s painful when people leave your church. Leaders learn to stop taking somebody leaving the church personal. They focus their attention on who they still have and don’t fixate on who left. Leaders push through the pain because there are more people who need to be reached for Christ.
5. It’s painful when a friend turns their back on you or the vision. Leaders push through the pain and allow God to heal their hearts so that they will continue to make friends and trust people. A leader has to have some close friends that can walk alongside of them throughout the journey of life and leading.
6. It’s painful to have to let go of an unproductive staff member or a staff member who just isn’t a fit with your team or culture. Leaders push through the pain and realize they are responsible to manage God’s resources well, and having an unproductive staff member isn’t good management.
7. It’s painful to push through pain! Leaders realize that their leadership and the organization they lead will only rise to the level of their pain threshold. If a leader stops pushing through pain, they stop growing and so does their organization.
Eric Camp for MS House District 111 