My heart is heavy this morning, because of some things that are heavy on my heart concerning not just me, but those in leadership in ministry.

As a leader, we must stay in a place of worship and prayer in order to remain effective in dealing with the opposition and persecution that is allowed to come against us by The Lord. So many times situations arise that try your obedience and character. You will face things that required for you to remain in a place of humbleness.

Over the pass few weeks, there has been much that has tried to get me, and others in leadership, out of character. We have been accused of being too hard, to having a lack of love, from holding people back, to pushing the wrong ones, but yet, in it all, we have not wavered, neither have we lacked in our responsibility in obeying The Lord.

As a leader, it’s not our duty to make the people happy, but to push them, pull them, discipline, correct and groom them, to be whom God has called them to be.

In doing so, there are decisions that we must make, that will anger people, that will cause people to rise up against us, that will cause people to walk away, that will cause them to misunderstand us, but these things cannot stop us from doing what God requires us to do, to get them to their purpose.

A real leader knows when to hold a person close, and when it’s time to stir up the nest so they can begin to walk into destiny. A lot of times we lose people in this process, because they don’t understand how you have to step back and let them do some things solo. Does it hurt a leader of course, because many times, they have to watch people walk away from them, because they are hurt, or they don’t understand the season, or they think it’s personal, rather than a part of the process of their maturity and elevation.

As leaders, we have to walk in obedience to God. There are those whom we have wanted to run after, to let them know it’s not time don’t leave in anger, don’t leave in hurt, but God will tell us NO, they have to learn this lesson.

They have to learn discipline. They have to mature. They have to know that the things you were trying to instill in them, were to bring them to a place of humility and brokenness. And we will weep, because we knew they are going to face some challenges now, to crucify their flesh.

Do we stop loving them? Of course not. If they need us, or want our advice as God leads us, we will help, but we only do what God allows, because we don’t want to interfere with His process concerning them.

There are times as a leader, the rejection from those you love can hurt, but you can’t let it stop you, or become a distraction. That’s why as leaders, we must fast and pray and stay humble, so that fleshly pride won’t come upon us and cause us to seek revenge against those that we have poured into that now are attacking us.

Our relationship with God keeps us grounded, and focus and with the ability to yet walk in love toward those that hurt us. We always hear the side of the sheep who have been wounded, but we forget that the leaders can be wounded also.

When we are wounded, we are not allowed to show our pain, for fear we will be accused of being too soft, too sensitive, or incapable of being a leader, and when we go to other leaders, they use our pain against us, to discredit us, or take those sheep that are under our care.

When leaders bleed, often times we have to clean up our own blood, and tend to our own wounds. Not to allow a person to be able to express their emotions, or to release their pain, often puts them in bondage.

Leaders, we must learn to be a support system for one another. We shouldn’t have to be afraid to reveal our wounds to those that have suffer wounds themselves in ministry!

Iron sharpens Iron!

~ Apostle Barbara R. Thomas

Apostle Barbara R. Thomas is founder of I Come to Heal Ministries, A Woman’s touch Ministry, The Next Dimension Global Outreach Ministries and Spoken Word School of Ministry and she is on a mission traveling the world proclaiming the Gospel for soul to be won to the Kingdom of God. She has a mandate on her life to help brings others to their divine purpose.