Spiritual Entrepreneurs

Written by:     Mike Johnson

If you insist on mapping out your own strategy, you will miss the intended goal, and the real joy of participating in His plan.

As an entrepreneur, seeking to know God's will in your life, and adjusting your life to it, looks different from developing your own personal action plan. Here are several guidelines for discerning God's will in most any situation:

First, plan in advance to respond to God and to others in respect and obedience. This practice will sharpen your faith and patience. There is no point in seeking God's will if you are not committed to obeying it. (Luke 6:46) Your replies are the foundation of long term relationships, which are crucial in future growth and development spiritually and in the business world. Let God into your heart and become a vessel unto Him.

Second, be prepared to wait. Patience is key to listening and acknowledging what God is saying to you. Knowing when to do something is just as important as knowing what to do. Time is always on your side. Learn to fill the in-betweens, with generous blessings.

Third, focus on God and His activity in the world around you. This will place your own issues and concerns in perspective. We are almost all predisposed, driven by thoughts of lustful indulgence, and self-centered as entrepreneurs at first, and assume often, that God is orchestrating the entire planet to meet our own personal needs. God always relates to us in the context of His concern of peace, and to redeem a lost people, and uniting each-other with love and compassion, not for granting wishes. So our work should always be to His glory.

Fourth, set your preconceptions and preferences aside so that you are receptive to what God is saying to you. Don't try to force God into your business plans in order to accomplish your financial goals. And don't limit yourself by trying to identify some spiritual gift or appealing career path. Rather, open your life up completely to the great work He intends to accomplish through you, both in restoring a spiritual relationship with you, and blessing your leadership position. He knows much more than you do. He has far more potential in mind for you than you could ever imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) If you insist on trusting in yourself only, lacking faith and mapping out your own strategy, you undoubtedly will miss the intended goal, and the real joy of participating in His plan, both in your business life, and your personal life as well, and also to those who will be adversely effected by your unwillingness to remain faithful and obedient.

Fifth, don't expect God's will to make perfect sense to you. God's thinking is much more exalted than ours, thoughts of a more prosperous outcome than all of us (Isaiah 55:8-9). Faith in God involves believing in Him, and being confident in all your decisions, even when you don't know how everything will work out (Hebrews 11:1) When you know what God wants you to do, do it with all your heart. Not selfishly, but with the love of God and others in mind. Always practice to be neighborly. This blessed approach to others has the potential to transform not only your life, but also your entire business community. Business' that take only have an expected end, but businesses that give prosper. This is the essence of walking joyfully with Him and doing His will, rather than our own. Even in business, you need God.

Peace be with you, and God Bless!!!