Desperate Versus Satisfied - A Thought on Leadership

If the opposite of satisfied is desperate, I think I always want to be a desperate leader. Here are some things I've realized recently (they are "early" thoughts - so be gracious with me):

• A satisfied church is terribly hard to lead. A desperate church is much easier to lead.
• A couple who feels like their marriage is "good enough" will rarely put in the work to improve it, but if they are desperate, they can find real solutions and deep joy for their marriage.
• I want to be desperate for the Gospel to spread in our community - never satisfied.

You get the idea. I could go on and on. I do think it is possible to be both content (biblical) and desperate (in the right sense of the word) at the same time.

I met with a group of leaders last night that I don't normally meet with, and I sensed a good desperation from them to see their ministry continue to make a significant impact. I don't love meetings, but I'll go to those kinds of meetings all day and night long.

There is nothing better than doing what matters with people who care - who are desperate for the glory of God and the good of the people they love! Thanks Northridge Church for letting me serve with you!

Comments

[Doug Warner]

I think maybe the term "desparate" conveys an attitude of "I will do anything vs. I will do the right thing or the Godly thing." The term might have a little more edge than I would prefer.... But I wholeheartedly agree with the premise and get your point. Complacency is the great paralyzer of Christians and stagnates the work of the Kingdom.
Just as you have encouraged Lori to "long for" Heaven, that urgent longing to be an "agent of Godly change" in people's hearts and lives...is what should get us excited and drive us to fulfil God's purpose for us.

[David Whiting]

I'm pretty comfortable with the word desperate...

* Psalm 42:1 - As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
* Romans 10:1-4 - I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel.

Those seem pretty desperate to me. My experience seems to be that many more churches, marriages, and lives struggle more with complacency than being sinfully desperate, but maybe that's my experience.

I'd LOVE to say - JUST ONCE - in counseling... You know - you took it too far... you sacrificed TOO MUCH for your spouse. Haven't found that situation yet...

So - all that to say - I'm comfortable with "desperate" because I don't see that TRUE desperation often, and when I do - I haven't seen it at sinful levels.

I remember a song we used to sing at church...

"I'm desperate for you..." I LOVED that song!

[Terri M]

I love the timing on your blog posts. that was one of the songs we sang this past Sunday out here in the desert and I found myself thinking on the words of it wondering if I really knew the meaning of the word.................awesome.

[Josh Horn]

This reminds me of your sermon on Hezekiah and the difference between waiting on the Lord and waiting on the Lord while taking action.

In my experience, many people treat waiting on the Lord like a lazy river. There is a level a comfort with just waiting on the Lord. While we complain about having no idea what is next in our lives, we chalk it up to "faith" and "leave it in God's hands." But then we turn around and just sit while we expect God to make a radical change.

I think that desperation is a great description of a heart that longs for God. We desperately want to see lives changed, souls saved and the kingdom advanced. If we sit in our lazy river and "leave it to God", that critical, life-changing conversation may never happen. We need to have faith that God will move, as we take the first big steps in doing His work... even if we aren't totally sure!

Thanks, yet again, for the great insight David.

[Mark D.]

When I think desperate I think of someone struggling for air...as if someone was holding them under water and their supply of oxygen has been depleted. They would, literally, give their right arm for another breath. Will I ever need God that much? That is so hard to answer because I fear the answer.

[David Whiting]

This is one of the reasons I like to blog. I feel like all of you have helped me sharpen my thinking on this and will be able to say it better once it comes out of my mouth in front of 1000 people. THANKS! And Terry - I love that you sang that song Sunday!!!