Times of Isolation in a Leaders Life

According to Shelley Trebesch in her book, Isolation: A Place of Transfromation in the Life of a Leader, every leader will go through times of isolation. Trebsch provides two definitions for isolation: First, “Isolation is the setting aside of a leader from normal ministry involvement in its natural context usually for an extended time in order to experience God in a new or deeper way.” (10) Second, “Ministry isolation is an experience in the context of ministry in which the basic symptoms of regular isolation are felt and experienced and in which God uses the situation to deepen the leader’s life.” (10) According to Trebesch these times of isolation can be both voluntary and involuntary.

 

Trebesch’s book is a fantastic guide for helping a ministry leaders process times of isolation in a more fruitful way. Trebesch provides a helpful framework for understanding the different stages a person goes through when in isolation. According to her a person walks through four stages during this time of isolation. The four stages are: stripping, wrestling with God, increased intimacy [with God] and release to look toward the future.

 

1. Stripping

According to Trebesch, “a stripping process usually initiates the isolation. While leaders can be stripped of many things while in a period of isolation (money, family, health, etc.) they are primarily stripped of their ministry identity.” (36) Trebesch continues to explain the “stripping” process by writing, “The Lord removes the various identities that ministry places upon a leader and strips the leader down to the core of who he/she has been created to be (the identity that the Lord places in him/her).” (36-37) She continues, “As the Lord strips the external identities (sometimes a leader adopts various identities for different situations), leaders often experience the pain of being stripped and the confusion of not knowing who they really are. They have adapted to many situations and organizational cultures and have often forsaken their own identity in order to succeed.” (37) Once a leader is stripped of his/her external identities, he/she often experiences “feelings of insecurity depression and emotional pain.” (37) At this point the question often arises – “Who am I?” Ultimately, the stripping process reveals the leaders deep need for God.

 

2. Wrestling with God

According to Trebesch, “leaders in this state hunger for God and search for their true identity.” (38) Moreover Trebesch points out that “God uncovers one’s core identity in the stripping process. For leaders who are willing to go through this process, an honest wrestling with God occurs next. They ask many deep searching questions of God such as, ‘Who have you created me to be?’ ‘What is my true identity – apart from outside ministry?’ (39) Ultimately “the leader turns to God for the answer to his / her identity questions.” (39) The time of wrestling also reveals that nothing will satisfy and bring life except for God.

 

3. Increased Intimacy

Trebesch describes this stage as follows: “During the wrestling phase, a desperate intensity enters one’s relationship with God. Having realized that one is not what one’s ministry is and having wrestled with God begging him to call forth one’s created identity, one realizes that life holds no value apart from an honest, intimate relationship with the Lord.” (40) Moreover Trebesch points out that, “this state of isolation encompasses a number of different characteristics, among them openness, honesty, weakness, or brokenness and vulnerability.” (40) This brokenness is often used in whatever new ministry God places a person in.

 

4. Release to Look Toward the Future

Trebesch notes that, “God eventually brings leaders out of isolation. He is faithful. There comes an intuitive point in which leaders begin to look toward the future. God, by his Spirit, gently gives persons permission to begin looking outward again for a return to ministry and to begin exiting the isolation period.” (42-43).

 

I believe that I have walked through this refinement cycle several times. I am planning on using her book for a personal retreat where I want prayerfully reflect on how God has been at work in my life. Basically the book helps you understand how God is at work in your life in times of isolation and how you can get the most out of those times.