Three ways Jehoshaphat’s example can help you in the next pandemic

By Dean Collins

Next time you face a pandemic maybe the model of Jehoshaphat can help.

This was my mantra over the last year. Pray, do your work which includes planning for the future, and don’t flinch. Those who work closely with me heard it many times. I said it over and over, as much for me as for them.

Out of control

The last year and a half has created and exposed many challenges. One thing leaders have learned from the pandemic is that there are many things out of our control. This powerlessness over some things has always been there but the global pandemic created a clear view of what we can control and what we can’t.

Leaders come with different skill sets, but most have a predisposition to see themselves as heroes. On some days we think we are the smartest, the strongest, and the bravest. We believe we can take on any problem and certainly dominate our industry. On our weakest days, we sometimes feel like frauds who don’t really know how to do anything and are doomed to fail. And most days we see ourselves as adequate or a little above average and can figure out how to be successful.

At some point in the recent past, most leaders saw different challenges than the usual ones just as the usual ones got bigger. That was true for king Jehoshaphat as well. All ancient kings fought battles. All kings go about strengthening the walls of their domains. All kings try to protect and provide for their kingdom. However, when you get word from a reliable source that a great multitude is headed your way, fully equipped and planning to take your kingdom, you might feel powerless instead of invincible.

Big challenge

In 2 Chronicles 20 we learn of Jehoshaphat’s big challenge, as well as how he chose to face it. And maybe that’s the first lesson. There will always be a big challenge lurking outside of your control. There was nothing the king could do to stop the enemy from approaching. And something will always happen that we are neither ready for nor equipped to solve. Have I mentioned how leaders don’t like it when things are out of their control?!

When leaders face the reality that they are powerless in a given situation, what should they do? Here’s what Jehoshaphat did, a plan confirmed over and over in Scripture, so maybe we should follow it too.

Three-part plan

1) Set your face to the Lord. Fast and pray.

Yes, we already know this, but how many times do we revert to our standard plan of self-confidence and self-reliance? More times than we probably would admit. We are conditioned as leaders to prove we can handle tough situations and big battles. And we fear that if we don’t, then we will likely be replaced by someone who can. The truth is that no leader is equipped for everything.

2) Don't be anxious, afraid, or dismayed.

Well, I failed on that one a few times in the last year. Some days the reality of the challenge ahead just wore me out. Honestly, it probably wasn’t the challenge itself that got me. I believe the anxiety and stress of the challenges and the responsibility I felt as a leader many times nearly crushed me.

What saved me was reading and praying the many verses that we all know. I bet you’ve discovered the same thing I have. These verses are not just clever posts on Facebook or framed art for our walls. The Word of God is true and offers real power and strength at all times. The prophets and kings and Jesus himself all tell us to not be anxious about tomorrow. We have read and know to seek God first and pursue his righteousness. Jehoshaphat learned that simply standing firm and letting God fight the battles is always the best solution. We usually discover this truth and its strength when we are facing our biggest challenges.

3) Give thanks and sing praises, not just after but in the face of the battle.

Thanksgiving after is a good thing. Sadly, we often remember the battle with an inflated view of our part in the victory. King Jehoshaphat had the choir sing praises and declared thanksgiving even as the fight was about to begin. His faith and confidence in God secured the victory. The king’s posture and approach to hard times is a one-size-fits-all approach. We can never go wrong depending on God over self.

We will be learning more and dealing with the ongoing challenges of this pandemic for a few years I suspect. And hopefully, we won’t face another. But regardless of the sources of tomorrow’s challenges, I think our best approach to victory is to remember the basics of faith. Seek God in prayer, do your work including planning for tomorrow, and stand firm allowing God to fight for you.

Your time with God’s Word
‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20:2-12‬ ; Matthew‬ ‭6:33-34‬; ‭‭2 Chronicles‬ ‭20:15, 17, 20-21, 25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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