Empowered To Lead

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not depend on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge God, and your paths will be straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

Notes for Contemplation as You Use this Devotional:

• This wisdom from the Book of Proverbs, from the section often titled, “Trusting in the Lord,” encourages us to trust fully in God and the power of our intuition, not just facts and linear thinking.
• The Book of Proverbs is treasured because it teaches us how to develop a spiritually mature, healthy character. Consider it an ancient “Do-This-Not-That” compendium of wisdom still applicable to our 21^st-century lives.
• Jesus and other great spiritual leaders align themselves with God (Higher Power) so they can live from the divine power within them. Rather than relying their own personal knowledge, they follow their intuition, discerning how they’ll conduct their lives.
• By acknowledging that God is in the midst of everything occurring around us, even the stuff we dislike, we can lead our lives with integrity and compassion, just as Jesus and other spiritual leaders do.
• While modern leadership development often emphasizes how we engage with others, self-leadership focuses on self-presence: what we know about ourselves in various settings, relationships, and circumstances.
• Self-leadership is an inner process of reflection that helps you develop personal awareness of your feelings, needs, and motivations. It’s your ability to set goals and objectives for every aspect of your life, and to follow through on them. While self-leadership is now popular in many corporate arenas, monks, mystics, and shamans have used this ancient contemplative practice for thousands of years.
• Self-leadership encourages you to honor your intuition and discern appropriate strategies based on your abilities, circumstances, and desires. These strategies usually fall into three (3) main categories:
  • Behavioral: How you act/show up
  • Cognitive: How you think
  • Motivational: How you’re inspired to be
• Demonstration is your evidence of what does or doesn’t work in your life.So, while abundant strategies may be available, wisdom is knowing which strategies to use and when, as well as which no longer serve you.
• When you acknowledge God in all you do, you activate your intuition. This keeps you from seeking answers outside yourself, so you can listen to your inner wisdom. Then, you can discern the best course of action based on the information you have.
• In Healing Letters, a collection of Metaphysician Myrtle Fillmore’s writings, Myrtle reminds us that our self-leadership benefits both ourselves and others: “As you help others spiritually and in every way, you not only fulfill the law of giving and receiving, you develop your own resources and capabilities in full measure. By helping others under the guidance of the Spirit of truth, you at the same time help yourself.”

Contemplation Questions:

As you reflect on your life and circumstances, ask yourself:

• In what ways am I aligned with God (Higher Power)?
  • List, word map, or illustrate all the ways.

• In what ways am I seeking answers outside myself?
  • List, word map, or illustrate all the ways.

• How is my intuition guiding me to lead my life best?
  • List, word map, or illustrate as much as you can.

• When I reflect on strategies I can use, which will help me lead my life best?
  • List, word map, or illustrate the best strategies.

• What are at least three (3) ways my self-leadership
  • benefits me?
    • List, word map, or illustrate all the ways.
  • benefits others?
    • List, word map, or illustrate all the ways.

As you use this devotional, know that you’re growing spiritually, so your self-mastery and self-awareness are increasing.  Be courageous in eliminating any strategies that no longer serve you, even if they once did.  Stay open to new ways of accomplishing what you want, and notice the peace you feel when you stop struggling to figure everything out.  Especially, trust that you are divinely guided on your own best path.

© 2023 – Rev Jennifer L. Sacks – All rights reserved.

Photo from Shutterstock by Jeanette Teare.