You Are Made for This: Established in Peace

Equalla Foster
Jul 11
6 min read

Leadership has a way of exposing what’s happening beneath the surface. A broken record has nothing on the repetitiveness of that statement I have proclaimed throughout my leadership journey.

A boardwalk over a lake with a sunset. Words: You Are Made For This. Established in Peace.

I’ve learned that people rarely see the things that taunt you, the funding you are praying for, the conversations replaying in your mind, or the decisions you carry long after everyone else has moved on. They see confidence. They see composure. They see some level of influence. They assume certainty. People see the glitter. The surface-level things.

What they don’t see is the internal work required to keep showing up with wisdom, grace, and commitment when your emotions are pulling in another direction. They don’t see the roots of your life or the depths of your soul.

When you have been in the forefront for years, you come to know that the greatest battles aren’t always external. More often than not, they’re fought in the mind.

That is one of the reasons Isaiah 54:14 has become a passage I can hold close.

“In righteousness you shall be established; you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you.”

Reading this verse is a reminder of God’s promise of protection. But if you look more closely, you may notice something else.

God doesn’t begin with the opposition.

He begins with the foundation.

“You shall be established…”

That word changes the way I think about life and leadership, among other things.

The Work No One Applauds

There is a part of leadership that never makes it onto social media or gets applause at church or in the workplace.

It is the discipline of governing your own thoughts before you try to influence someone else’s.

I’ve had seasons in my earlier years where criticism affected me more than I admitted. One difficult conversation could overshadow three encouraging ones. Someone who passively-aggressively questioned my decision could quietly follow me into the evening, long after the incident occurred.

Nothing outwardly had changed.

Internally, though, I was carrying weight I was never predestined to hold.

I eventually realized I wasn’t responding to what had actually happened. I was responding to the story I had started telling myself about what might happen next.

That’s how fear works. It patiently terrorizes.

It doesn’t always arrive with a crisis.

Sometimes it arrives as imagination or a masquerade.

And the “What if’s” begin.

Those questions seem right at first. Until they become exhausting.

Isaiah doesn’t deny that difficult situations exist. Instead, he points to something deeper than circumstances.

He points to where our hearts are to be anchored.

Peace Is Something You Build Into Your Leadership

I’m sure you've probably come to realize that peace is not simply the absence of conflict.

For me, some of the most peaceful seasons of my life have also been the busiest, and amid horrible situations.

Deadlines still expected.

Difficult people still existed.

Unexpected problems still appeared.

As you can see, the difference wasn’t the absence of conflict.

The difference was in what I allowed to occupy my mind.

When a person’s emotions are high, they have to learn how to bring them down so that they are not louder than wisdom.

Taking a moment to pause, breathe deeply, or pray before responding often saves hours spent repairing words you wish you hadn’t spoken or actions you wish you hadn't taken.

None of those habits happened overnight.

They were built one decision at a time.

Miracles still happened.

Business still flourished.

Ministry still required.

Relationships are still built.

This is what being established looks like. Not to bring glory to yourself, but to God.

Fear Is a Poor Leadership Strategy

One sentence from Isaiah continues to challenge me.

“You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear.”

Oppression can be experienced personally or communally. And fear can become its own kind of oppression.

I’ve witnessed leaders become controlled by the fear of disappointing people.

Others become trapped by perfectionism.

Some hesitate because they don’t want to be misunderstood.

Others say yes to everything because they can’t bear the thought of letting someone down.

None of those leaders lacks talent.

Peace is the missing substance.

Fear is subtle.

It disguises itself as responsibility.

It convinces us that worrying is the same as caring.

It tells us that carrying every possible outcome makes us better leaders.

Experience has taught me otherwise.

The more responsibility I’ve been given, the more intentional I’ve had to become about releasing what never belonged to me in the first place. Where or to whom do I release it to? The LORD.

Whether You Lead a Family, a Team, or a Ministry

Leadership looks different across every calling, but the emotional challenges are remarkably similar.

Parents wonder if they’re making the right decisions for their children.

Business owners are carrying the weight of people’s livelihoods.

Pastors and ministry leaders feel the responsibility of serving others while quietly tending to their own hearts and households.

Assignments change.

The human heart and mind do not submit to the obedience of Christ Jesus without the help of God and your willingness and obedience to Him.

Every leader eventually reaches a place where skill alone isn’t enough. Passion is no longer the fuel.

You need emotional maturity.

You need spiritual stability.

You need a heart that knows how to return to God’s truth before reacting to temporary people, places, and things in your life.

That doesn’t mean ignoring feelings or facts.

It means refusing to let them become your compass. There should be only One who leads the way.

What “Established” Looks Like Today

When anxiety starts knocking, I encourage you to ask different questions than you usually do.

Instead of asking, “How do I fix everything?”

Ask,

“What is actually true right now?”

Then find a word [scripture] that will help you navigate the rigorous emotional terrain. That simple question can prevent countless unnecessary worries. The Word of God is always pure and true.

May it serve as a reminder that assumptions are not facts.

Criticism is not always rejection.

Delay is not failure.

Silence is not abandonment.

Emotional pain is not punishment.

And uncertainty is not evidence that God has stepped away.

Isaiah 54:14 reminds me that our first responsibility isn’t protecting our reputation.

It’s protecting ourselves. Our hearts and minds.

Because if fear governs our inner life, it will eventually shape our outer life and leadership.

But if peace governs us, that peace begins showing up everywhere else.

In conversations.

In decisions.

In relationships.

In conflict.

In uncertainty.

In every place where chaos once dwelled.

People may not always remember every decision you make as a leader.

However, they will remember how you make them feel. And how you displayed God's goodness throughout your life and leadership. Sure, some may not understand that it is the goodness of God in full display, but they will be aware that there is something different about you.

Are you steady?

Are you present?

Are you anchored when everything else is swirling around you?

When you come around, does peace come with you?

Do your words bring comfort, strength, clarity, and healing?

Can you bounce back after a setback?

Those qualities aren’t personality traits.

They’re cultivated over time.