Learning Before Leading, Part 3 | Led by the Spirit, Not Momentum

Key Thought | A teachable spirit stays sensitive to God’s voice, even when momentum says “go” and God says “wait.”

Key Scripture | “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” —John 10:10 (NIV)

In this final part of the series, we see how a teachable spirit sustains success—not by momentum, but by discernment and obedience.

Israel’s defeat at Ai is a sobering reminder that progress does not always equal alignment (Joshua 7:1-5). After Jericho, confidence was high. Momentum was strong (Joshua 6). But hidden disobedience disrupted what looked like forward movement. What they assumed would be easy became unexpectedly costly.

Joshua’s response reveals a leader who had learned to listen. He didn’t push harder or press on blindly. He stopped. He grieved. He sought the Lord (Joshua 7:6-9). And God’s response was direct—not to shame Joshua, but to realign the people (Joshua 7:10-13). God’s “no” was an act of mercy, not rejection. Discipline was not punishment; it was protection.

A teachable spirit understands that correction is part of God’s care. Hebrews reminds us that discipline is painful, but it produces life, peace, and righteousness when we submit to it. God corrects what He loves, not what He has abandoned.

Momentum can be dangerous when it replaces dependence on the Spirit. From the very beginning, it was God’s Spirit hovering over chaos that brought life and order. That same Spirit still leads today. Flesh-driven effort may look productive, but only the Spirit gives life.

Joshua never outgrew his need for proximity. He stayed near God’s presence because he knew leadership without intimacy would eventually fail (Exodus 33:11). When first love fades, even good activity becomes hollow. A teachable spirit continually returns—choosing closeness over confidence, obedience over assumption, and the Spirit’s leading over momentum.

Pause and consider whether you’ve been led more by momentum than by the Spirit. Allow God to search your heart, and don’t resist His correction; it is a sign of His love. Choose obedience over speed, closeness over confidence, and return again to the place of first love where discernment is restored.

Prayer | Lord, keep my heart sensitive to Your Spirit. Help me to pause when You say wait and to trust Your discipline when You correct me. Guard me from being led by momentum instead of obedience. Draw me back to first love and keep me close to Your presence. Amen.

Reflections

• Where might momentum be replacing discernment in my life?
• How do I typically respond to God’s correction?
• What helps me remain close to God’s presence in busy seasons?

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