The whys of leadership endurance

Phillip Foster Feb. 8, 2018

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I don’t know anyone who enjoys waiting. However, waiting is what we are sometimes called to do, and like many things that seem contrary to what we refer to as human nature, waiting is sometimes what is needed and what is best.

We get caught up in what society tells us that we should always be advancing, moving upward, or making progress. When those things don’t happen, we tend to become discouraged, even to feel defeated, when what we needed to be doing is exactly what we have been doing, holding our position, enduring. It is often no small feat to be able to do so. In fact, in the words of Christ, “it is the one who endures to the end who will be saved” (Matthew 10:22).

The Greek word for wait is perimeno, which means to endure, or “to put up with surrounding difficulty.”  Waiting or enduring as used in both the Old and New Testament often refers to “standing under,” or “actively enduring.” Endurance isn’t just tolerating or even allowing. It requires an act of volition.

Leadership endurance requires action

The real challenge for most of us is when we are asked to wait patiently. Henri Nouwen in his book Discernment humorously notes the word for patience comes from the Latin verb patior, which means “to suffer.” I think many of us would find that describes our reaction to being asked to wait patiently

However, the word for patience in the New Testament is the Greek word hupomone which can also be translated as “perseverance, or “fortitude,” supporting the idea that to wait patiently is not to be inactive, but an action that requires significant effort on our parts.

If you’re still not convinced, note what Paul says about putting on the armor of God in Ephesians 6; he writes, “Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to standagainst the schemes of the devil…that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm” (6:11-14). Soldiers are not always told to advance. A more strategic position is for them to defend or hold a position to keep the enemy from taking it and gaining ground.

Waiting may not seem so glamorous. Regardless of where you are serving or to what you have been called, there may be times when you are asked to wait, to endure, to bear up under. It is important that you do so. Most of us would naturally want to get out from under our difficulties or hardships. It may be a work situation or a relationship that we have had to endure. There are times our circumstances or situation seems entirely unjust.

Peter notes in his letter to the Christians in Rome that to suffer unjustly and to endure is looked upon by God as a gracious thing (1 Peter 2:19).  We are given the example of Christ who, when he was reviled, did not revile in return, when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued “entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”

Many pastors I work with seem to have the idea that being successful means they are supposed to grow the church in numbers, bring in young families, increase giving, baptize more people, and increase programming to meet everyone’s needs. This may even be voiced by the leadership who hired them.

Then, they meet up with stiff opposition or criticism, often from those very leaders who selected them to lead their church. They may be tempted to acquiesce, to doubt their understanding of how to do ministry, or their ability, or even their calling.

Look closely at the work of the apostles in Acts and what they encountered as they started churches. They were arrested, jailed, beaten, stoned, riots broke out and they were driven out of town. Their response was to rejoice in that they had been counted worthy to suffer for the sake of the Gospel.

It may not feel like a victory, but remember, “You have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised (Hebrews 10:36).” And, “If we endure, we will also reign with him, if we deny him, He also will deny us.”(2 Timothy 2:12).

Photo source: istock 

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Phillip A. Foster, Ph.D., as a psychologist and Director of AuthenticQuest.org, provides spiritual direction, counseling, training and consulting, to those in ministry or other roles of leadership in the church. He is the author of Here's My Heart, Lord; Parent With an Attitude, and Not Good Enough. Learn More »

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