219: Hardship as Leadership Development
"How are you suffering?" Doesn’t this sound like a fun episode?
However, it won’t take long to realize, and agree, there has been a lot of suffering in the last few years. A global pandemic. I’ve lost two friends to it, and I’m pretty sure I’ve lost two months of my life fighting COVID19 two different times.
There’s been so much pain.
Social conflict.
Political polarization.
Racial pain.
Vocational isolation or overwhelm.
This episode addresses these truths in a conversation I have with friends on the topic of pain. The discussion draws from the chapter in my book, What Does Your Soul Love?, of the same title and looks at "how are we suffering?"
In my book, An Unhurried Life, I put two chapters back to back that I wish didn’t go together like they do. One is titled “Suffering: Unexpected Unhurrying,” and the other is “Maturity: Growing Up Takes Time.” I wish that hardship and spiritual growth didn’t go together so often, but the seasons that have contributed the most to deepening my roots or strengthening my trust have been hard ones. So I hope this episode will help you envision how some of the hard places you’ve been walking just might be something God uses for your best good and the good of those around you.
Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Alan consults and coaches leaders and their organizations in the U.S. and around the world, helping them work towards long-term productivity that lasts rather than settling for quick fixes that don’t. He is the award-winning author of five books, including An Unhurried Life, An Unhurried Leader, and A Non-Anxious Life.
Gem is the co-host of the Unhurried Living Podcast as well as the author of Hold That Thought and co-author of What Does Your Soul Love? Her work has appeared in Propel Women and Our Daily Bread.