When Leaders Struggle To Lead Who Suffers?

Hebrews 13:17
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

New Living Translation
Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit.

Contemporary English Version
Obey your leaders and do what they say. They are watching over you, and they must answer to God. So don’t make them sad as they do their work. Make them happy. Otherwise, they won’t be able to help you at all.

Good News Translation
Obey your leaders and follow their orders. They watch over your souls without resting, since they must give to God an account of their service. If you obey them, they will do their work gladly; if not, they will do it with sadness, and that would be of no help to you.

GOD’S WORD® Translation
Obey your leaders, and accept their authority. They take care of you because they are responsible for you. Obey them so that they may do this work joyfully and not complain about you. (Causing them to complain would not be to your advantage.)

Yesterday’s blog article was on leadership from this same chapter of the book of Hebrews. Today we look at a different verse on leadership but from the same chapter of the book of Hebrews. The writer twice emphasizes matters on leadership in the closing remarks of the book of Hebrews. This tells us that leaders of the early church considered leadership to be a very critical aspect of church welfare and growth.

In our text today, the church is told to have confidence in their leaders. What does it mean to have confidence? How do you have confidence? You are only required to have confidence in a situation where a difficult decision must be made. When you are asked to have confidence, it is because there is sufficient ground for doubt. Uncertain times come with risks and opportunities. Uncertain times do not have quick solutions in laid down procedures and policies. Uncertain times call upon leaders to sail in uncharted waters. During uncertain times, the best we can do is to have confidence in the leaders. Opinions may vary, perceptions may sharply diverge, but the way forward is given in scripture today, and that is, have confidence in your leaders.

When you have confidence in leaders you trust them and therefore relate well. When you relate well you solve problems together. If their decision takes us to a ditch or a worse place, we don’t criticize and condemn it. We believe they had good intentions and we help in correcting the wrong. That is what it means to have confidence in the leaders.

The text today further admonishes us to submit to the leaders’ authority. What does it mean to submit? How do you submit? Submitting to authority means we allow the leader to have the final say after deliberations. Submitting is not slavery sycophantic conduct. Submitting is being supportive of the leader and their unique approach to issues. Submitting is not saying yes all the time and blindly. Submitting includes politely saying no in order to be consistent with right and truth. The instructions are, submit to your leaders.

Submitting to a leader is the opposite of challenging their authority. When leadership is challenged, particularly where Christ doesn’t reign supreme, it becomes dangerous to the challenger. You can challenge a decision through appropriate channels but never challenge authority. When authority is challenged it gets tempted to flex its muscles to affirm its position and defend its interests. Therefore for the good of the church, instructions are given, submit to your leaders’ authority. Simply put let the boss feel, know and be treated as a boss. That way they function better without engaging in flimsy attempts to confirm that they are in charge.

Many church and organizational wrangles today are because there is no confidence in leaders. Congregational struggles that affect the mission of the church are a result of failure to submit to leaders’ authority. The writer of Hebrews in the closing remarks urges the entire church to have confidence in their leaders and submit to their authority. This is a very difficult request for those who are proud and feel that they know better than those in leadership. This is very difficult for those who feel they are more spiritual and have a greater understanding of the Bible, the prophecies, and the church, more than the leaders. This is a very difficult command for those who have more experience than the leaders. But this is doable and easily possible for anyone with the spirit of Christ and is truly converted. Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority.

The writer goes on to tell us not to worry about the leaders’ accountability. Leaders can beat the system or even hijack processes. We have seen in several countries where national leaders have defeated justice and had their way. The writer of Hebrews addresses that fear for those in the church. The writer tells the church that leaders serve us the church but they are accountable to God. They will answer to God to whom no one can hide or lie. That should be sufficient to allay any fears that if we have confidence and submit things will go wrong and justice will not be done. God is actively involved and nothing can and will go wrong. We all account to God. All leaders in the church and outside the church will account to God. Therefore worry not, just have confidence and submit to their authority.

When will leaders account to God? Any day and ultimately at the end of time. Therefore the church and those outside the church should not worry, because God’s justice and judgment can never be delayed or thwarted. If it is necessary to serve it today, God will do so and cannot be stopped. If it is necessary to serve justice after some time, God will do it at the right time, without delay, and with precision. Where God is involved, accountability is not doubtable. Trust God to hold everyone to account. Play your part in any and every organization. Play your part as a leader and as one who is led. Have confidence in them and submit to their authority!

When leaders do wrong things and drastic actions must be taken, it should be within the confines of the law. Protest as directed by law. Seek regime change through legitimate means. Destruction of lives and property is not God’s will in changing bad leadership. The use of propaganda and falsehood is not a method favored by God. Where leadership cannot be tolerated any further, all means and processes that safeguard the process should be followed prayerfully. God will always support a good course.

The last part of the instructions on leadership to the whole church is very interesting and unique. We are told that we should ensure leaders do not struggle to lead us. Leaders should not find difficulty to perform their duties. Leaders should not beg us too much to do what they expect of us. Leaders should not keep reminding us of our roles. Leaders should not feel we are hard to lead. leaders should not develop lifestyle diseases because of our difficulty in being led. Leaders should not be tense if they must meet us or address us or when issues appear. Leaders should not regret being leaders. The Bible that is inspired tells us that, if leaders are happy while leading us, they will serve us well, but if they are stressed, we will suffer during their leadership.

The inspired word of God tells us that, if we feel frustrated by the leadership, we are partly to blame. We have made their work difficult and a burden. We have stressed them and consequently, we are stressed. If leaders struggle to lead, we all suffer, says the Bible.

To avoid a situation where leaders struggle to lead and therefore we all suffer, we are given clear instructions. Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority. If leaders struggle to lead, we all suffer.

If family leaders struggle we all suffer in that family. If business leaders struggle, then all of us in that business will suffer. If school leadership struggles, the students and teachers will suffer. If club leaders struggle, all members will suffer. If local neighborhood leaders struggle, all members of the neighborhood will suffer. If welfare leaders struggle, all members will suffer. If the committee chairperson struggles, all members will experience suffering, delay, indecisiveness, etc. If your political and national leaders struggle to lead you, you too will suffer. If your local church leaders struggle to lead you, you will experience suffering. When leaders struggle to lead, we who are led will surely suffer, according to the word of God.

Are leaders you serve under struggling? Have confidence in them and submit to their authority. Whatever worries you, remember they will account to God, therefore do not worry. Are you suffering in an organization or group or club or institution or even church? Could your suffering be because your leaders are struggling to lead you? Here is the biblical solution, have confidence in them, and submit to their authority. If in doubt, trust God to whom any and every leader will account without partiality. Just remember the word of God today on leadership. When leaders struggle to lead, we who are led will surely suffer!

According to the Bible text today, there is no benefit in challenging leaders and attacking them, and making their work a huge struggle. Challenging leaders, publicly shaming them, and showing everyone that you do not submit to their authority, does not demonstrate that you are spiritual, it exposes you as ignorant to biblical commands on leadership. While decisions can be challenged, the authority should not be challenged. Proper channels should be followed in addressing problems of leadership without showing a lack of confidence or challenging their authority. When leaders struggle to lead, we who are led will surely suffer!

Dear God grant us a spirit and attitude that we can be led without our leaders struggling to lead. Dear God as we lead, may those we serve have confidence in us and submit to our authority. Remind the leaders and the led that you will hold all of us accountable and sooner or later justice will be done, therefore we should trust you. May we always remember Your word that, when leaders struggle to lead, we who are led will surely suffer. Remind us, in Jesus’ name, Amen!