God is raising up strong Christian leaders for all sectors of society, and you are one of them!  As you seek the Lord and follow Him, He will develop in you important characteristics for mentoring others. 

The head of a leader is filled with wisdom and understanding.  The eyes of a leader see the potential for a better future.  The ears of a leader know which voices to tune in and which ones to tune out.  The nose of a leader detects when something is fishy.  The shoulders of a leader willingly carry the calling of God.  The heart of a leader is filled with genuine love for people.  And the hands of a leader get involved in others’ lives to help them be better.

Today, I’d like to share how the knees of a leader bow to God in prayer.  While all the attributes I’ve shared are important, this one is extremely critical.  You can’t be a Spirit-empowered leader without prayer.

“Seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. … For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:6,9).  You see, God’s way of thinking is different than man’s.  God’s thoughts and ways are so much higher and better than our limited natural thinking.  When we seek and call on God in prayer, we open our hearts and minds to the ways and thoughts of God.  However, without praying, we severely limit ourselves to a natural way of thinking.

If you fulfill some type of leadership role like a parent, supervisor, pastor, teacher, coach, or mentor, you know that you are commonly called on to answer questions.  In fact, one of the most important responsibilities of a leader is to be a decision maker.  But how can we make the best decisions without calling on God for help?  If we neglect prayer, we’re neglecting the supernatural help available to us.  We must understand that God has a whole way of thinking beyond our natural thinking, and if we want the best answers, solutions, and decisions, we must call upon Him to reveal them to us.

Another important benefit to prayer is that it helps us to receive the peace of God.  Leaders should understand that their attitude and demeanor significantly impact the attitudes of those under their leadership.  That’s why it’s important to remain at peace even in difficult times.  Any type of leadership role has its share of stress and the potential for anxiety.  But prayer will help us avoid the pitfall of becoming over-stressed.

Paul explained, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).  Indeed, leaders must be faithful to continually “cast your burden on the LORD, and He shall sustain you” (Psalm 55:22).

We certainly need Spirit-empowered leaders in our homes, government, churches, businesses, schools, and other organizations, and that empowerment comes through prayer.  When we pray, we open ourselves to the ways and thoughts of God, and we experience His peace that passes all understanding.   James proclaimed, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (James 4:8).  I encourage you to draw near to God in prayer today.