Shattering the Stained Glass Ceiling: Trust God’s Plans for You

My Leadership Journey

As a Christian leader, it’s vital to have a solid understanding of your current self and who God intends for you to become. You need to be aware of the importance and interplay of wholeness and holiness to have a sense of direction in life. God declares, “So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the Lord your God” (Lev. 20:7). To set ourselves apart is to refuse a relationship with the world. James clearly states to believers in the new covenant, “If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).

We begin our spiritual relationship with God at the point of his holiness. James taught that we must choose to set ourselves apart; being holy is not an option. God will not dwell in us and among us if we fail to separate ourselves from the world system. However, we aren’t God. We were created in human bodies that deteriorate, and we have personalities that often suffer from periods of emotional stress or a dark side. Striving toward a positive lifestyle of holiness, while mitigating the negative effects of our dark side, is the battle every honest, adult Christian must face.

Recognizing that personal dysfunction exists in every human being to some degree, we must be willing to stay accountable to God by accepting the scrutiny of others into our private and public lives. I know; it can be an uncomfortable thought. How does this play out in real life? It means staying fully engaged in family and personal relationships no matter how misunderstood we feel. Or it might mean persevering inside organizational reproof or negative performance assessments. A mature personality has a solid sense of self, which is anchored in a strong foundation of self-worth. This is always the result of healthy personality development. Tests, challenges, staying accountable and accepting authority are all part of what every adult must grapple with to push forward in personal spiritual growth I know you want to live a satisfying life as much as I do. As we strive to better ourselves and achieve our goals, it can be frustrating to watch other people enjoying life as we struggle. God wants us to live the good life! We must begin our Christian life believing not only that his purpose is good for us, but that his plan is best for us. The key to finding fulfillment is sustaining passion for life, and the key to sustaining passion is trusting in God’s purposes even when we don’t understand why.

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Robyn Wilkerson, Shattering the Stained Glass Ceiling, (Influence Resources, 2017), pp. 35–36. Used by permission.

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