Another major American leader had his career destroyed this week when an adulterous affair was revealed. And at this point, no one knows for sure just how far this investigation will go.  Are there others involved?  Has a culture of cheating invaded every aspect of American life?

Even a cursory look at American life in the last 40 years indicates a horrible pattern from leaders.  Presidents, senators, generals, pastors, soldiers, actors, athletes, and business leaders have all failed in this area.  No one seems immune.

It’s always easy to see the warning signs after the fact, and in this case, there were many.   Flirtatious emails.   Advice from subordinates and friends that was ignored.   Allowing someone-other-than-a-spouse to have too much personal access.  A pattern of deceit. Accepted and returned flattery.   Sexting.  A violation of personal standards—not to mention military standards.   A culture of entitlement.  A lack of focus on marriage and family.   How many other warning signs were ignored?

My purpose is not to criticize an American general.  He failed and he admitted it, and he has some very real consequences to deal with.  At least for now, his career is over, his reputation is destroyed, and his family is in turmoil.

My purpose is in praying that this doesn’t continue to happen, and that pastors like myself and church leaders in churches like ours will protect their marriages, their families, their reputations, and their churches from the consequences that come from leadership failure.

We need a culture of integrity in America, rather than the current “anything-goes-so-why-should-we-be-surprised-at-another-failure” mentality.  It’s hard for people to believe in their country, their church, their business, their school, or their own families when there is constant moral leadership failure.

So I am praying for my self and for other leaders.  How’s this for an honest prayer?

Lord, I need your help. I want to be Godly, but I am weak. I don’t want to fail you or my spouse, but I’ve seen many others who have and it scares me.  I know that my desire for love, acceptance, and sex is good, but these desires are strong enough to get me in serious trouble if I’m not careful.   Help me to know my weaknesses and to run from temptation. Help me to set-up proper barriers.   Give me honest friends who will warn me away from sin—and help me to take their advice.   Strengthen my marriage and my friendships so that I will be surrounded by healthy, honest, and Godly people who will hold me accountable to your Word and to my own commitments.

God, I love You, my wife, my children, and my church, and I don’t want to do anything that will hurt You or them.  Keep me strong; I don’t want to go the way of other leaders who shamed you and their families.

Keep me strong despite my weakness.  I need your help.

What do you think?  Do you need to pray that kind of prayer regularly?

I know that I do.