‘We Don’t Know What to Do, But Our Eyes Are on You.’

Twelve transformational words for leading in unprecedented times.

We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.
2 Chron. 20:12

When the Old Testament king Jehoshaphat received word that three armies had conspired together and were coming against him in one massive assault, he made a decisive and unconventional leadership move.

Every leader around the globe is in a similar predicament.

Faced with the three-pronged advance of a global health pandemic, a world economy that’s come to a screeching halt, and the personal crisis of anxiety and fear—what can we learn from this ancient leader that’s applicable today?

The odds weren’t good for Jehoshaphat, and, honestly, they aren’t that great for a lot of families and businesses right now.

Deep down, most leaders who have weathered brutal storms know that we’ll get through it. We always do. We will endure the carnage and emerge from the depths to grow and prosper again. But that’s going to take time—a long time. Right now, we’re in the valley of the shadow of death.

So how do we lead through these dark hours?

Let’s look closely at the path Jehoshaphat chose.

First, he called the people to seek God. The King prayed this transformational twelve-word prayer—We don’t know what to do, but our eyes are on you.

We don’t all have the liberty to corporately call our people to seek God. But every leader does have the opportunity to privately seek heaven’s help before leading others into the fray.

By nature, leaders are confident, skilled, and battle tested. So often we roll out of bed and start leading the charge. It’s easy to wake up, survey the landscape, and immediately focus on solving problems, creating opportunities, and marshalling the troops.

Yet, ultimately, ...