Your ability to be great is determined by capacity. Capacity is determined by you changing, not sovereignty. It’s not God saying, “This is as far as you can go and that’s it.” Capacity is something you can change.
We say it all the time: “That person has great capacity for…” That person might not have started with a great capacity to multi-task or administrate or evangelize, but has developed a capacity for it. They let their container get stretched and they put more in it and before you know it, they are carrying more in their container.
The key to building a great church or a great business is great leaders who move from good to great. Great leaders are continually increasing their capacity, which is the power of containing or holding, the power of receiving ideas or knowledge. Increase is a personal decision. Are you increasing? Ask yourself these questions.
How is your capacity for spiritual things?
Do you have a capacity for faith? Faith is the substance of vision, dreams, and moving into the future. Faith to believe and see what you believe is needed to be a great leader. Increase your faith capacity in God and God’s word – faith that God will provide all that is necessary as the need arises.
How is your capacity for leadership?
Leadership ability and capacity determines a person’s level of effectiveness. The ability to lead is a collection of skills, all of which can be learned and improved. Some of these skills are respect, experience, emotional strength, people skills, discipline, momentum, and timing. It is the capacity to develop and improve skills that distinguishes leaders from their followers.
What is your capacity level?
What is it that you finally say, that’s as far as I go? That is my capacity for work, my capacity for sacrifice. I cannot add another hour and that is final. Once you draw your capacity line, you will probably not add anything else in that area because you have drawn the line and said “That’s it,” instead of saying, “How can I enlarge my capacity for that thing?”
Let me challenge you today to draw the lines more loosely and stretch your capacity. Great leaders are always on the move to enlarge their capacity.
Read more about enlarging your leadership capacity. Check out these resources at our store:
- “Good to Great,” two-part series: click here
- “Becoming a Surplus Leader,” sermon notes: click here
- “Leaders Who Thrive,” sermon notes: click here
