Have You Paused Lately to Ask Where All This Is Taking You?

Sometimes my friends, in the rush of life, especially when things are going well, when careers are thriving, friendships are in abundance and freedom seems limitless; it is easy to get caught in a bubble.

A comfortable bubble, one and the kind that makes the world outside feel outdated, distant and unnecessary. But life as beautiful as it can be is never stationary my friends. To everything there is a season, and to every purpose under the sun a time. (Ecc: 3:1)

So, whether we are leading others or simply leading ourselves through the maze of life, let’s take a moment to sit with these quiet reminders, nuggets not of novelty, but of necessity.

Life is not a debtor to anyone. No matter how much good you do, how hard you work, or how deeply you care, life doesn’t owe us anything. Blessings are not wages earned. They are moments to be humbly received and wisely stewarded. The moment we expect fairness from life is the moment we begin to misunderstand its nature. Grace isn't given because we are owed something, it is given because we are here.

Empathy often whispers, while ego shouts. The world will always give a stage to the loudest voices, but the quietest one often carries the most truth. Ego will demand your attention while empathy quietly observes, understands and acts. True leadership does not often show up in how much you speak, but more likely in how deeply you see. The next time you are tempted to respond quickly, ask yourself: is this my ego talking or my empathy guiding?

The same sun that shines brightly today can hide itself from view tomorrow. Success is seasonal and even Joy too can be fragile. The warmth you bask in today may be absent tomorrow. Not as punishment but as a reminder. A reminder to be grateful. To not clutch today’s gifts with entitlement, but to receive them with open hands. Darkness is not a curse; sometimes it is an invitation to grow and glow in the dark.

A life lived for self cannot create a legacy but one that incorporates others can. Self-preservation may win us short-term battles, but it never wins the hearts we need. A legacy is not built on accomplishments; it is built on effect. Who have you lifted? Who have you seen, really seen? The ones who are remembered are the ones who made others feel remembered. Your name is written not in history books but in human hearts.

So, when you lead from purpose and not from position what happens? You don’t wait for a title to act, because you know to everything there is a season. You don’t need authority to influence, because you know, God lifts one and puts down another.   Purpose-driven leadership is not about being flashy, its about being faithful. It doesn’t look for credit, it looks for change. It does not ask, What’s in this for me? but rather, What does this make better?  So if you have been waiting for permission to live and lead, this is it. You don’t need a position to begin walking in your purpose.

Despite what many think, life does not favor the rich and famous, but the ones who walk its path with wisdom, who love when it is inconvenient and the same ones who empower others from a soul filled with compassion. The ones who understand that life is less about climbing ladders that are leaning against the wrong walls, and more about building bridges.

So, as you start your week, let this be your pause. Not to stop everything but to align everything. To ask yourself not just what you are doing, but why you are doing it. To substitute noise for meaning and to choose depth of soul over display of actions.

And if you do one thing differently this week, let it be this: To lead gently, love deeply and live like the season you are in won’t last forever, because it won’t.

Let this settle in your spirit. Then let me know how it resonates with your heart, with your leadership, or in whatever assignment you find yourself in right now.  I would love to hear from you.  And if this spoke to you, share it with someone else who may need to read this.  Subscribe to the Life Navigator newsletter, where I share writings from the heart.  For more reflections that meet you where you are in leadership, in faith and in life.

Until next week, Stay the course. You are not just working and not just leading. You are called and chosen.