We’re lumps of clay, so let’s lead like it
One of the theological mysteries our human minds struggle with is God's sovereignty. How are we supposed to make decisions and lead without being in control?
In The Sovereignty of God, by A.W. Pink (1928), the author points to Romans 9:21-23, which describes us as lifeless clay, with no ability to form (or save) ourselves.
These verses help us realize our need to accept the limits of our power, skills, wisdom and experience. We'll be wrong sometimes. We'll get to the end of our abilities. We'll fail in various ways.
Don't you wish you had control over the people you work with, the customers you serve, your competition, the economy, or world events? It would make leading so much easier.
But the longer I study the Word and watch God work, the more I'm reminded I need to accept his will rather than try to direct it.
Jesus himself modeled how we should interact with a God who is sovereign. Before his crucifixion, which he knew was ordained by God, he prayed, "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine" (Luke 22:42, NLT).
"Here is what I want for myself," he essentially prayed, "but I want what you want even more."
As unformed clay, let's put ourselves before the Potter and ask him to mold us in ways that please him. Pink writes, "He shapes His vessels for His own purpose and according to His own pleasure" (48).
I've learned that when I seek God's will for the big things in my life, he often shapes me first as a person. When I ask him to act in my business or ministry, he helps me persevere until his own purpose is realized, in his time. Sometimes he directly answers my prayers for wisdom, and sometimes he simply helps me wait on him.
So how do we lead as lumps of clay? By seeking his will first, acting on the knowledge and wisdom we've been given, and trusting him for the outcome.
Under his hand,
Tom Harper
Founder, BiblicalLeadership.com
LinkedIn profile | My books
 | 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 » |
More on Leadership Devotions
- Why, God? Grappling with the mystery of God’s sovereignty (by Tom Harper)
- Discerning God’s sovereign will in your leadership (by Tom Harper)
- Relearning our lessons the hard way (by Tom Harper)
- A new book, Mission Design, promises fresh momentum for your business or ministry (by Tom Harper)
