Shining light.

There is a big fat disgusting lie that I want to blast through right now, as I am continually seeking to shine light into darkness.  I’ve heard it at least half a dozen times in the last few weeks from various friends and colleagues and coworkers.  And I see it in myself, too. And quite honestly? I am sick of it.

It’s the lie that everyone else knows exactly what they are doing, except me.

It sounds like… I just wish I knew what I was doing or I’m gonna mess it up or what on earth were they thinking putting me in this role?

So you feel like you don’t know what you are doing? 

Here’s the truth.

No one does.

We are all trying to figure it out.

Even those who seem like they have it all together.

Because guess what? No one has ever done this before.  This thing we are trying to do, in this country, with these people and this leadership team and these coworkers and personalities and cultures and stories involved, at this time with these resources. No one.

None of the nurses have ever faced this problem (whatever it is), in this patient, with this health history from this country, with this team and leadership and resources available to them.

None of the managers have ever managed this particular team, with its individual characteristics and personalities and ages and cultures, in this environment, with these resources and challenges and languages. 

Even our senior leaders, while confident and strong and decisive for sure, have never done this particular thing in this place at this point in time, either.

We are all trying to figure it out.

We are all trying to do the best job we can.

We are all trying to put one foot in front of the other, to say the right thing in the right moment, to bring God the most glory we can. 

We won’t always get it right.  We can offer grace to each other. We can help each other and walk alongside each other and know that we aren't alone. (As Kid President says, "I have barbecue sauce on my shirt, too.")

But believing the lie that everyone else has it figured out except me is not healthy. It isn’t true. 

So for cryin’ out loud, take a deep breath, and give yourself the freedom to not have the right answer or the perfect plan or the next steps outlined in the landscape that is in front of you.

We’re all in this together. Figuring it out as we go along. Offering grace when it’s a toss-up between several options and we just picked the wrong one.  Celebrating when we happen to have picked the right one.  We learn, we grow, we get to be a part of lives changed and transformed and we leave here looking just a bit more like Jesus than when we came. God has promised that we can do all things and we are more than conquerors and we are chosen for this purpose, at this time, in this place. 

Rest in that. Trust.  He’s still on the throne and not saying geez, I wish I had put someone else in that role.

Don’t know what you are doing? Neither do I. Neither do the rest of them.  It’s a new day with new challenges and the beautiful thing is that we get to be the ones who figure it out.  Of all the people in the world to face this brand new situation with these people and resources in this place, he picked YOU.  Sweet.

Go on, world changer. Keep on shining light.