Lonely Leaders

Loneliness. Every leader faces it at one time or another. Unpopular decisions that must be made. The intent of your heart being misunderstood. Confidences that must be kept. Disappointments. Speaking truth that is not accepted by those who hear. Gossip and slander that leave you horrified - and then deeply grieved. Long hours that keep you from being with the people that love and energize you. A slow erosion of your soul that makes it harder and harder to maintain healthy boundaries and pursue spiritual disciplines.

In his second letter to Timothy, Paul talks about the betrayal and desertion of friends and partners in ministry. He sits in a cold, dank dungeon, chained like a common criminal, awaiting certain execution. He doesn't have his cloak to warm his feeble body. He doesn't have his priceless parchments. He desperately misses his co-worker, Timothy. He is alone. Isolated.

Lonely would probably be an understatement.

Ruth Hailey Barton observes, "Persevering through the loneliest experiences of leadership requires inner stamina that is more than mere stubbornness. It is the ability to stay grounded in God, to stay true to one's path, to continue--even in the face of grave opposition--to move towards the vision that we have been privileged to see. But there is an even deeper kind of loneliness which every leader must grapple with ..." read more

Been there ~

Linda