When serving and leading in faith-based organizations, or I prefer to say Christ-centered organizations, it is imperative that we minister and lead from a healed heart. Emotional intelligence is simply another name for emotional maturity and the reality is that many believers, whether serving at the local church or serving in ministry leadership, bring the brokenness from their past into their ministry roles, unless they have intentionally walked through healing with the Lord. There is a saying in recovery circles that says, “no matter where you go, there you are.” We cannot run from ourselves and out of the heart flow the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23)
Noone comes to Christ unscathed, for we live in a fallen world. Many of us leap over the threshold answering the call of God on our lives without allowing Him to mature and heal us prior to embarking on our ministry journeys. This can lead to a myriad of issues within the organization and depending on the level of brokenness can lead to a mighty fall from grace that not only damages the individual and the organization but can also cause damage to the Body of Christ, depending on the visibility of the fall. You can build a large building on top of a faulty foundation, but in time the fractured structure will come tumbling down.
We all must bring the broken pieces of our hearts to our Redeemer and allow Him to mend our soul. Some may be walking around with shattered hearts unable to build much of a structure at all while others may have small, invisible fractures, but when the pressure is applied the small cracks give way and what was held within the vessel comes leaking out. We taste the nectar of the fruit when it is pressed and enjoy the aroma of a flower when it is crushed, but what happens when what comes out isn’t lovely?
Our emotional health or emotional intelligence is directly correlated with the fruit we produce in our lives. We have an enemy who works diligently to hinder us from producing the fruits of the Spirit and in turn have us produce the fruits of his spirit instead. When we are rooted and grounded in love, we become trees of righteousness (Isaiah 61:3) that produce good fruit having the character of our Father where we walk in love, joy, peace, faithfulness, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control. We may do well to display the characteristics of our Father for a season, but when we are under pressure what is in our hearts comes forth and splatters all those around. Are we emitting a pleasant aroma that glorifies our Father, or do we emit a stench that smothers and darkens our homes and organizations?
The fruit we produce is what impacts the people around us. The world will know us by our fruit (Matthew 7:16), but what happens when the fruit we produce is toxic rather than life giving? What happens when we lead out of brokenness rather than health? The reality is we poison the organization we are leading and fail to represent our King well. This is the desire of the enemy. It is his plan to slander the character of the Father through the brokenness and failures of His people. But God Himself makes all things new, if we are willing. Like Jesus said to the man by the pool of Bethesda, “do you want to be healed?” (John 5:6)
Oh, how I wish I was sharing these nuggets of wisdom as one sharing from a position of strength, but I served in ministry leadership for many years extremely broken, yet blind to my brokenness. I found in time that the performance beast that drove me while in the corporate world reared its ugly head in ministry leadership. In His kindness He set me aside for a time and healed my shattered heart. During the beginning of the crushing season beautiful things did not come from my heart. I frequently share that when I was crushed Jesus did not come out of me. I can honestly say that if it were not for the intimacy I enjoyed with Him through my studies at The King’s at this time it would have been far worse. He kept me anchored as my life exploded and over the last seven years, He has been refining and deep cleansing me to wash the pain of my childhood out of my soul and anchor me in love. Now all I do is dedicated to helping others walk through healing journeys and uncover hidden brokenness, comforting others with the same comfort I received from Him. (2 Corinthians 1:4)
The fruit of our soul is what we feed others. We may be able to hold it together while at the office, perhaps, but those closest to us either enjoy the fruit of our heart or are suffocated and poisoned by it. We must be willing to come to Him naked and unashamed, allowing Him to expose our underbelly so we can truly be transformed into His likeness. As sons and daughters of the Most High God, it is His desire to give us the Kingdom, but the Bride is made ready in the fire. The fire purifies and strengthens. The dross is removed and when we are made ready, He can see His likeness in us.
The fire is not fun, but we cannot be made ready unless we pass through the fire. We must bring our pain, our fear, our worries and sadness and place them at His feet. Allow ourselves to be crushed and pour out the costly oil as a love offering to our King. Only then can we lead well and represent Him well. Only then can we be light in the darkness, for light that passes through a broken heart produces color like a prism. It can look beautiful in the daylight but when the darkness comes it will be snuffed out. Only light can push back the darkness, and we are to be salt and light to a lost and broken world.
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