Scripture: Ezekiel 3:1-3 “Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.’ So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. Then he said to me, ‘Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.’ So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.”
The Leadership Challenge
You’re leading through a season that makes no earthly sense. Budget cuts when you need expansion. Staff transitions when you need stability. Difficult conversations when you’d rather focus on vision. Church conflict when you’re trying to build unity.
The assignment from above—whether from your board, your supervisor, or God Himself—looks inedible. But you’re being asked to “eat the scroll” and lead through it anyway.
Ezekiel’s Lesson
God commanded Ezekiel to eat a scroll covered with “lamentations, mourning, and woe.” From every human perspective, this was the worst possible leadership assignment. But when Ezekiel obeyed, it tasted like honey.
The principle for leaders: God’s difficult assignments often become sweet when we stop evaluating them by short-term comfort and start trusting His long-term purposes.
Leadership “scrolls” that taste bitter before they become sweet:
- Confronting sin in your organization when it would be easier to ignore
- Making unpopular financial decisions that ensure long-term sustainability
- Leading through organizational change when people prefer the status quo
- Speaking prophetic truth when your audience wants encouraging platitudes
The Leader’s Application
The sweetness doesn’t come from understanding all the reasons—it comes from trusting the One who gave you the assignment.
How to lead through bitter assignments:
- Remember your calling came from God, not from human approval
- Focus on faithfulness to the assignment, not immediate results
- Communicate vision even when you can’t see the full picture
- Trust that God’s purposes are good even when His methods are hard
Leadership Reflection
- What assignment are you currently resisting because it seems too difficult or unpopular?
- How has God used difficult leadership seasons to develop your character?
- Where do you need to trust God’s long-term purposes over short-term comfort?
Action for Leaders
Identify the most difficult aspect of your current leadership role. Instead of trying to avoid or minimize it, ask God to help you embrace it as part of His assignment for you.
