SUFFERING. Ever experience it? The gut-wrenching mental, physical or psychological pain or distress caused by a situation dealing with yourself or someone else? Even to the point of death? That's the definition of suffering.
You know the emotions. They go deep and linger. They make you hesitant to function daily. They either numb you or cause such excruciating pain you don't know what to do next. You don't know how to move forward. You just want to be stuck in time or it to be all normal again. The way it was but without the confusion, pain, and suffering.
Recently, my family went through a difficult time. As a mother and grandmother, it's hard not to want to control the situation and make things "all better," buts it wasn't within my reach. All I could do was stand on the sidelines offering support and prayer. The above saying is actually a comforting verse from I Peter 5:10 that I use as my "go-to" mantra when experiencing difficulties in life. The person of "himself" the author Peter the Apostle was referring to was God.
Some leaders dismiss prayer as a solution to problems, but Kevin Halloran writes that "Christian leaders need to be people of prayer." Not just pastors specifically, but Christian leaders in general. He wrote an article entitled, 5 Things Every Christian Leader Should Prayer For Themselves Everyday. He listed them as (https://www.kevinhalloran.net/5-things-every-christian-leader-should-pray-everyday/):
To be humble.
To be Word-fed.
To be Spirit-led.
To be a Servant Leader.
To be a Servant.
I would suggest interpreting them as:
Look inward.
Look for knowledge.
Look outward.
Be a Leader.
Be a Follower.
In any relationship (work or personal) there is a follower-leader relationship. In leadership development, the role of a follower is not a simple one. It doesn’t just mean following directions or blindly accepting everything a leader says. Good followership is characterized by active participation in the pursuit of organizational goals. In many cases, this means working independently, being accountable for your actions, and taking ownership of necessary tasks. The catch is that it’s common for followers to not be recognized for their accomplishments in these areas, even though they are essential to the success of the organization. Although it can feel like a thankless role, many followers take great satisfaction in the work they do and embrace followership (eaglesflight.com).
A researcher at Harvard Business Review developed a system for categorizing followers using two metrics: 1) active versus passive, and 2) independent critical thinking versus dependent uncritical thinking.
Based on where an individual falls on each spectrum, there are five categories of followers:
1) Survivors
Right in the middle of the scale, these people are adept at surviving change. They are able to adapt and conform to the situations around them, whether this means stepping up to take on an important task or quietly staying in the background.
2) Sheep
These are passive people who do not think critically and do not have a strong sense of responsibility.
3) Yes People
Yes people are those who will readily act when told what to do but depend heavily on leaders for guidance. They do not tend to be proactive.
4) Alienated Followers
These are independent critical thinkers who are not proactive in their roles. They can effectively carry out their roles, but there is often an undertone of dissatisfaction that prevents them from fully embracing their work and contributing to their fullest potential.
5) Effective Followers
These are independent critical thinkers who follow through enthusiastically. Effective followers can succeed without leadership but respond to it well, making them ideal independent employees who also work well in teams (https://www.eaglesflight.com/resource/followership-in-leadership-the-role-it-plays/)
In association with suffering, there will always be a dual relationship. The supported and the supporter. The same holds true in leadership development between the follower and leader. You can't be one without the other as they are intertwined. You can't support someone unless you empathize with the victim. The same with the supporter you can't be of help without first experiencing suffering on a personal basis.
I Peter 5:11 offers a permanent solution to temporary suffering. It's what Paul Harvey would call "the rest of the story."
What She Said ~ Beverly
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