Moving On

Samuel was devastated over King Saul’s disobedience. He mourned for him. Yet, there came a time when Samuel needed to move on. “The Lord said to Samuel, ‘How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king’” (1 Sam. 16:1).

Even though it’s important that we process our losses in a healthy way, we need to eventually take steps through our grief – “to be on our way.” As leaders, we will sometimes be disappointed with others on the team (and them with us). They may be underperforming or even making unwise decisions. Obviously, we need to encourage them and provide what we can so that they can develop as leaders. Yet, sometimes, we need to simply move on to the next person that God has for the team (while helping the original person transition into the next ministry God has for him or her). It’s hard, but a necessary part of good team leadership.