This question allows for personal assessment. If they say yes, I’m happy with my prayer life. Great. Carry on! Or you might say, that’s so good, tell me about it.
If they are struggling, start by asking what they want their prayer life to look like.
2. What Is the Last Thing You Heard God Say to You?
Leaders must always be hungry to hear God speak in a personal way, but what do we do in times of seeming silence? How does God best speak to you? Are you listening? What did He last say? What was your response?
All leaders have dry spells in hearing the voice of God, that should not be a burden carried alone, it needs to be processed with a trusted advisor.
If it’s been a long silence, go back to the last thing heard. No matter how far back. If it’s current, talk about the response.
3. What Is Your Leadership Achilles Heel?
Every leader has a particular vulnerability or weakness that under the stress, pressure and demands of leadership we can fall prey to it. What is yours?
You could make a common list, such as power, money, discouragement, moral compass, insecurity, success, anger, pride, and the list goes on.
Which one is most likely to “take you out?”
The enemy knows which one, so you need to be aware and proactive. The best first step is to bring any “Achilles heel” out in a safe and trusted conversation.
4. Are You Able To Live in the Present?
Most leaders are good about thinking future oriented but struggle to live in the present.
The struggle to live in the moment and be fully present is common to leaders because the nature of our role is to be out in front thinking about where we are going. But the absence of being present weakens our ability to connect, discern, show empathy and at times, even enjoy life.
Some good first step options are, again depending on the person, slowing down, eliminating unimportant non-essentials, learning to listen better, and enjoying a few of the simple things in life.
What prevents you from living in the present?
5. Which Is Greater for You Right Now, Fruit or Joy?
This is one of my favorites and I use it often. Between fruit (results) and joy, which are you experiencing in a greater way right now?
One is always lower the other and that provides a great conversation to move toward a greater balance of the two.
We need both fruit and joy in our leadership lives because fruit without joy is drudgery, and joy without fruit is shallow and hollow. We need both to go the distance in ministry.
6. Do You Have a Deep Sense of Abiding Peace Within You?
Jesus promised these two things. In this world we will have trouble (John 16:33), but he will bring us peace, so we need not be “troubled” (John 14:27).
Yet, a surprising number of leaders, perhaps most, will acknowledge a lack of consistent inner peace, and quite often a “low-grade” anxiousness in their gut.
Why does peace elude us? Is it a lack of faith? Trust? Is it a matter of common worry?
If we as leaders are to be present with a non-anxious presence, it must begin with an inner peace that only God can give us.
A good place to start is with this question: What is robbing you of peace?
7. Are You Content With Your Life at a Soul Level?
The Apostle Paul says in Philippians 4:11, that he has learned to be content. The inference is that contentment is not natural to us and probably doesn’t come easy. What is at the core of your contentment?
What is it that causes us to always desire and seek more, regardless of what we have? What steals soul level contentment?
There is nothing wrong with growth, progress and achievement as long as it is in alignment with God’s purpose for you and your overall spiritual well-being. I hope the last phrase doesn’t sound like Christian jargon, because the opposite is our own independent will and that’s never a good idea.
What does contentment mean to you? What does it consist of? How would you describe your life when you are most consistently content?
I hope these questions help you shepherd leaders, and that they also benefit you.
This article originally appeared here and is used by permission.
