3 ways to calmly lead in chaos

Tom Harper April 21, 2025

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French monk Brother Lawrence, who lived in the 1600s, had no idea he would be teaching Christian leaders over four centuries later.

And he of course had no idea how chaotic our world would be today.

All he knew was how hectic his kitchen was.

After coming to the Carmelite monastery, he became a cook. What was remarkable was not what he did, but the way he worked.

The following quote from The Practice of the Presence of God is a call for every Christian leader today:

"The time of business does not with me differ from the time of prayer; and in the noise and clatter of my kitchen, while several persons are at the same time calling for different things, I possess God in as great tranquility as if I were upon my knees at the blessed sacrament" (p. 30).

He did this by offering every action to God, seeking his guidance in every decision, and understanding that his work was a primary means of worship and expression of love for God.

If you lead amidst chaos, here are three things to try, inspired by this hard-working monk:

1. Slow yourself down, even if everyone and everything is in turmoil
2. Ask the Holy Spirit for direction, whether in little things or in big decisions
3. Be mindful of Christ's desire to express his love through you

We won't do any of these perfectly all the time, but why not pick one and give it a shot the next time you feel like you're leading in a frantic environment?

Mindfully,

Tom Harper
Founder, BiblicalLeadership.com
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Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022). Learn More »

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