The Cost of Building on Unhealed Foundations
- Tina Smith
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
The pillars in this image represent what is meant to hold a leader while she carries the weight of her call and mandate.
They reflect the visible supports in a leaderโs life. ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ, ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐. When these pillars are healthy, they help a leader feel supported, anchored, and protected as their responsibilities increase. When they are compromised, the structure above them begins to strain, even if strength still appears intact.
Over time, these pillars can also reveal something deeper.
They show the outcomes of ๐จ๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐พ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐๐น๐ ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ฒ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐. This erosion is rarely sudden. Leadership can still function. Influence can still grow. Yet ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐๐น๐ผ๐๐น๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฟ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ, affecting how decisions are made and which supports are trusted.
Scripture reminds us where this erosion begins.
๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐น๐ผ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐.
โ๐๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฒ๐น๐๐ฒ, ๐ด๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐, ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ ๐ณ๐น๐ผ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ถ๐.โ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฐ:๐ฎ๐ฏ
Compromised Discernment
When discernment becomes compromised, leaders may find themselves under pillars that cannot carry the weight of what God has entrusted to them. ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ด๐ฒ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐. ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐ ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฝ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐. ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ด๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ ๐บ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐, ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐๐ต, ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฎ ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ต๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฎ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ.
It can feel natural to focus our attention on those who did not remain strong or safe for us. And it must be said clearly. ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐บ๐ณ๐๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ฟ, ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฝ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ. Scripture does not excuse them.
And still, Scripture consistently calls leaders to ask a deeper question.
โ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฟ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ.โ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฏ:๐ฐ๐ฌ
If we spend all our time blaming those around us for not supporting, protecting, or anchoring us, we may miss the most critical work. ๐ช๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐น ๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐๐ธ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐.
What wounds went unhealed? What survival patterns shaped our tolerance? ๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฑ๐๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ด๐ป๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐น๐ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด?
Solomon did not assume wisdom. He asked for it.
โ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด.โ ๐ญ ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด๐ ๐ฏ:๐ต
When discernment is affected by unresolved wounds, ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ป๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ. Not because they lack faith, but because pain can distort perception when it remains unhealed.
Jesus speaks directly to this inward responsibility.
โ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ธ ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ป ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐น๐.โ ๐ ๐ฎ๐๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐ณ:๐ฑ
This is not self-blame. ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐๐ผ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ผ๐บ.
There is also another facet this image invites us to consider.
At times, ๐ช๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐น๐๐ฒโ๐ ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ. Leadership always carries influence. Whether intentionally or not, ๐ช๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐, ๐ฐ๐๐น๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ.
โ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ผ ๐ถ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ต๐ณ๐๐น ๐ถ๐ป ๐น๐ถ๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ต๐ณ๐๐น ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ ๐ถ๐ป ๐บ๐๐ฐ๐ต.โ ๐๐๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ญ๐ฒ:๐ญ๐ฌ
Healing, then, is not only about discerning which pillars we stand under. ๐๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ, ๐๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฝ๐ถ๐น๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐.
Where Did Compromise Begin?
When you look at this diagram, you may see where pillars in your life failed to protect or support you. That truth matters. And the deeper invitation remains. ๐ง๐ผ ๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ผ๐น๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฒ.
God does not reveal these things to shame us.
โ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฑ๐ผ๐บ; ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐๐ต ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ธ๐ป๐ผ๐๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด.โ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ:๐ฒ
๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐. ๐๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐น๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐. ๐ช๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ป๐ด๐๐ต, ๐๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐.
This is the work of mature leadership. ๐ง๐ผ ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ต. ๐ง๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐. ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ต ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ต๐ณ๐๐น ๐ถ๐ป ๐ต๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฝ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐.
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Tina Smith
Author | Mentor | Supervisor | Mediator-in-Training | International Coach | Director | Founder of Selah Treatment Center
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