Leading In the Midst of Adversity

Last Friday I went surfing with Michael Chanley, creator of CMConnect.org, at one of my favorite surf spots in Ocean Beach (OB to locals). Check out the above picture of him in a wet suit right before we caught some waves. He looks just about as silly as I do in a wet suit!  Although he lived in San Diego years ago, it was Chanley’s first time surfing. I was his guide.

He actually did quite well.  After only a few attempts, he was able to stand up for a few seconds on the board. I was the one that almost died!  Good thing he didn’t let me completely guide him.

We started out next to each other, but something told Chanley to move over to the right.  It was probably the life guards screaming from the shore to move over. I was hard of hearing, so I stayed put. Bad move. I would soon discover a strong rip current pulling me towards the bridge.

A rip current pulls you away from the shore out into the ocean.  The thing to do when you’re caught up in one is to let it take you out. Then when it dies down (it always does), paddle around it and back to the shore.  The problem was the rip current was sucking me into these HUGE bridge posts.  Massive waves were pounding against them!  If I let the current take me that way, I was sure to get caught in the waves pounding me against the bridge.  No matter how much I paddled away from the bridge, I was being sucked right into it.  There was a guy on top of the bridge who was giving me advice.  He was my coach. The only person who saw I was in trouble.  He told me to swim sideways away from the bridge, to the right (towards Chanley who had no idea of my struggle).  Until that point I was trying to swim toward the shore.  I gave it all I had.  With all my might I swam.  The adrenaline was pumping through my body like never before.  But no matter how much I tried, I was being sucked into the bridge.  I finally gave up. I had no more energy.  I quickly drifted near the bridge.  All I could do was let it take me and hope I survived.  I was terrified!

As I approached the bridge, I saw a break in the waves and quickly swam to the other side of the posts.  Fortunately, I made it to the other side in one piece, now out of the rip current.  I had made it but  couldn’t move and was barely able to hold on to my surf board at this point.  Finally Chanley and some another random surfer saw the trouble I was in.  I eventually drifted to the shore, where they helped me get out of the water.  My muscles were so tired I couldn’t stand up and had to take a few minutes to catch my breath.  I was alive and glad to be on solid ground.  I was also glad to teach Chanley everything I know about surfing.  So glad to be helpful to him!!

Days later, I was thinking about my near death experience.  How often do we fight adversity?  How often do we try to avoid trouble?  How often do we get mad about challenges and obstacles that get in our way?  We don’t like adversity, roadblocks, obstacles and challenges, do we?  Like I was fighting the rip current, we fight adversity.  But sometimes, we just need to let adversity come our way and go with it. Let it teach us a lesson.  Give up and let it take us for a ride.

Sometimes God allows adversity to come in our lives to build our character.  God is more interested in our character than our comfort. Leadership is tough and filled with adversity.  Challenges are around every corner.  Sometimes the best thing we can do is ask ourselves and God, “What are you trying to teach me through this challenge?  How are you trying to shape me through this experience?  How can my character be built through this trial?”  The Bible is filled with men and woman who experienced setbacks of all kinds.  But it is also filled with people who trusted God and were molded and shaped through difficulty.

I finally gave up fighting the rip current.  Once I did, I discovered it wasn’t as bad as I imagined.  I got through to the other side safe and sound.  So will you.  The current challenges you face won’t last forever.  You’ll eventually make it through to the other side safe and sound.  For now, just go with it.

I also learned a valuable lesson: respect the water, pay attention to what the ocean is telling you and listen to the life guards warning you from the shore.  When you make it through a tough ministry season or overcome adversity, take time to reflect on what you’ve learned.  Meditate on the life lessons you learned along the way.

Give up trying to fight adversity and lead in the midst of it.  Allow God to shape your character in the process!