Crisis Management

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl…” Deuteronomy 28:1-5

When my family, church responsibilities, and job causes me to feel stressed and overwhelmed, I remember this verse and reflect of how this can be contextualized in my own life. Most of the time I feel this incredible blessing and abundance, but sometimes it seems that I am living in the crisis of the moment.  

Many times people are in leadership because they are good at crisis management. Effective leaders can think on their feet, keep calm, and find solutions quickly. This is a good skill to have and to develop. All organizations, teams, families, and businesses have moments and seasons of busyness and unexpected growth or increase. When these unexpected needs arise, crisis management is needed and required.  If crisis management becomes a way of life, however, this is an indication that something is not quite right. As someone who is seeking to grow in leadership, the need to learn to flow on a more steady and consistent course is evident.

If you notice a recurring theme of panic, uproar, and confusion, there is a chance that the cause is a lack of thoughtful process and/or lack of delegation.  When an organization, family, or job takes on the reputation for facing crisis often, it can be a warning sign that change is needed. Matthew 11:28-30 shows us that Jesus has so much more for us than stress and crisis management: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

What are some signs you can look for to know if you need to build more delegation or rest into your job or family?

1. Not enough hours in the day to accomplish everything on  your list
2. Not enough money in the bank to cover emergencies or even the daily necessities
3. Feelings of guilt that you are not performing up to your expectations (and everyone else’s)

Here are some ideas to help you change from crisis management to being “easy and light” as Jesus desires for you:

1. Look for repeated crises.  Is this something that happens every month? Every season? Pray about what God can do to change this pattern in your life.
2. Create a flow that will help you not have to be at the decisionmaking place each time there is a crisis.  Block time for planning, communicating, and evaluating areas that trigger your crisis moments.  Is it a financial issue? A possible solution is to take a financial bible study to learn ways to steward your finances.
3. Look to others in a similar position to see how they designate their time and resources throughout their day.
4. Have a goal to move from vulnerability (crisis), to stability (periodic stress), to vitality (an easy and light burden).