You May Not Know What You Think You Know

What do you know to be true?   If you're an ambitious person, you're probably working on some new things that you're excited about.  And you base many of your decisions on the presuppositions you believe to be true about your situation. Can I ask you a question, though.  What if you're wrong?

Like you, I'm ambitious. I'm working on writing a book this year.  Hopefully, my first of many.  This particular one chronicles my journey as a church planter and the incredible leadership lessons God has taught me in the process.  The book probably won't be ready until the end of this year, but here's one lesson for you now.  You may not know what you think you know.

It's tough when what you knew to be true gets dumped on its head and you have to try and re-learn what you thought you knew so well.  Six years ago, there were a few things I knew very well.  I knew I was a world-class leader.  I knew I would plant one of the fastest-growing churches the country had ever seen.  I knew that as long as I worked hard on building God's church, my family's financial security would never be threatened.  It's a bummer when you're 0 for 3.

Those were some painful years.  What I realize now is that I could have skipped a lot of that pain by asking for some counsel from people around me.  I'm talking much more than "Hey, this is what I'm doing.  What do you think?"  That's not inviting any kind of real counsel.  I mean getting with someone you know will tell it to you straight, look them in the eye and ask, "Is my plan crazy?  Can this even work?"  You'll know if you're doing it right.  There will be a knot in your stomach and you'll feel like you're about to throw up.  

Got some big plans?  Good.  Don't forget the most important part.  Ask the right people for real counsel.  You may not know what you think you know.