Resolve to Follow

My first resolution of the year is to be a better follower.

All Christian leaders are followers.  Nobody gets the top spot in this organization except of course God.  One of the things I've learned this last year is that your Christian leadership ability is tied closely with how you follow God.

A person who isn't following God very closely isn't going to be able to lead in a godly manner or influence God's people.  God isn't going to bless that person with a supernatural ability to lead, and that leader won't be leading in the power of the Holy Spirit.

I find myself in that position more often than I'd like to admit.  I find myself reading the Bible only to study for my writing, or for curriculum development, or to teach a bible study.  In those times I'm not having a relationship with God, I'm using Him as a resource.   Like a library.  I seriously doubt He honors that, and I can tell when I'm drifting away from Him even though I'm in His word every day.

This year, one of my main goals is to really develop a living relationship with God.

 I want to be closer to Him.  I want to know Him better.

It's more than a matter of reading my Bible more.  I read it a lot.  I'm planning on meditating on His word, spending more time in prayer, and especially in listening, and spending some serious time in solitude and quiet listening to Him.

A Christian leader needs a close relationship with God.  It is from God that a leader's abilities and work flow.

What are you doing to draw closer to God this year?  How about right now?

Training Tomorrow's Leaders Today,
Matt