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Holding together restlessness and optimism


Piper has a great section in his Marks of a Spiritual Leader where he holds together two vital biblical leadership virtues:

1. RESTLESS

Spiritual leaders have a holy discontentment with the status quo. Non-leaders have inertia that causes them to settle in and makes them very hard to move off of dead center. Leaders have a hankering to change, to move, to reach out, to grow, and to take a group or an institution to new dimensions of ministry. They have the spirit of Paul, who said in Philippians 3:13, “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Leaders are always very goal-oriented people.

God’s history of redemption is not finished. The church is shot through with imperfections, lost sheep are still not in the fold, needs of every sort in the world are unmet, sin infects the saints. It is unthinkable that we should be content with things the way they are in a fallen world and an imperfect church. Therefore, God has been pleased to put a holy restlessness into some of his people, and those people will very likely be the leaders.

2. OPTIMISTIC

Spiritual leaders are optimistic not because man is good but because God is in control. The leader must not let his discontentment become disconsolation. When he sees the imperfection of the church, he must say with the writer of Hebrews, “Tough we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation” (Hebrews 6:9). The foundation of his life is Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” He reasons with Paul that, “He who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

Without this confidence based upon the goodness of God manifested in Jesus Christ, the leader’s perseverance would falter and the people would not be inspired. Without optimism, restlessness becomes despair.

[End quote.]

Let's pray:

Almighty Father by whose zeal the kingdom of the world becomes the kingdom of your Christ, keep our eyes on your risen reigning Son, at your right hand constantly interceding, constantly shepherding his sheep, constantly sanctifying his bride, unstoppably building his church, drawing people from all nations. Please forgive us when we've lost sight of him and his active rule and instead given in to apathy or hopelessness and believed the lie that progress now is impossible or unlikely or unnecessary. Give us confidence not in our might or power but in the Spirit of Christ that mountains will be moved and the dead raised to life and the unholy made holy. Give us jealousy for your honour. Give us boldness to risk. Give us expectancy of miracles of salvation. Give us the freedom that comes from knowing we are hidden in Christ, unshakably your children, more-than-conquerors, that to die is gain. Lift up our heads. Steady our knees. Establish the work of our hands. Open our mouths. Until the day when your restless-hopeful servants hear the great "Well done." Amen


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