10 Rites of Passage to Spiritual Influence and Authority
7 The ROP regarding loving those who hurt and abuse you
One of the hardest ROP is during periods of time when there are many relational conflicts and misunderstandings from those closest to you. This is a very important ROP that involves learning how to love unconditionally through the insults, abuse, neglect and persecution. If God can trust us to walk in forgiveness and love the unlovely unconditionally, then He can trust us to demonstrate His heart to others in higher levels of leadership no matter what the circumstance or response.
8 The ROP regarding faithfulness during the mundane
It is probably much easier to demonstrate faithfulness to God when there are big events, a crisis, and or great movement replete with incessant action. I believe more people fall into unfaithfulness when things get boring and mundane. This is a key ROP that teaches the believer to cultivate the joy of the Lord during slow, boring days and seasons in your life. Consider Moses’ 40 years in the wilderness of Midian, which prepared him for the last 40 years of his life that was replete with non stop action as he became the deliverer of Israel.
9 The ROP regarding finding contentment only in God
Ultimately, the greatest ROP is to learn to get ultimate satisfaction in honoring and worshipping Him. Every person and everything we have or accomplish in this life is soon passing away—and God will often work to strip out of our heart every secondary thing we depend upon for happiness and fulfillment. God releases His highest calling to those who delight themselves in Him.
10 The ROP regarding prioritizing our mission and focus
One of the greatest ROP for accomplished leaders is the ability to say no to good opportunities and open doors. God will often test us to see what we will say no to—before He brings better opportunities He wants us to say yes to.
Joseph Mattera is overseeing bishop of Resurrection Church and Christ Covenant Coalition in Brooklyn, New York. Visit him at josephmattera.org.
