So many times in life we separate parts of ourselves. Often we separate the personal from the professional. More than that we separate our faith, particularly in business. Did you know that God created you? Of course you did! Do you know who God created you to be? You may need to work on that, but God does have a plan for as state in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you—oracle of the LORD—plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.’ (usccb.org)
Since God created you and He has a plan for you, it just makes sense to allow God to guide your business decisions. This will help keep you aligned with your faith in every aspect of your life. Plus it will help to keep you on God’s path for you. Be a Servant Leader and live as a disciple and evangelist through your work.
Surrendering Self to God’s Will
Letting God lead in your business means to actively seek divine guidance in all areas of your business operations. It means making decisions based on biblical principles and values. You will prioritize ethical conduct, serving customers with integrity, and ultimately seeing your business as a tool to glorify God through your work. It is knowing everything you have is a gift from God.
God did give us free will. Many times free will causes us to struggle with God’s will. To support your surrender to God’s will, practice these things:
- Daily prayer-Pray in the morning and before you go to sleep. Pray mini prayers throughout your day. Ask God to direct you and strengthen you.
- Meditation-Spend time listening for God and to God. Use quiet meditation to be present.
- Read the Bible-Read the Bible daily, listen to bible podcasts or join a Bible study group. Surround yourself with the Word of God.
There are many stories of people who invited god into their business as a CEO. You can just do an internet search and a variety of stories from a variety of people can be found. The Faith Driven Entrepreneur has a great podcast where many of these stories are shared. You can find it here.
Finding and Living Your God-Given Purpose
Many people struggle to find their purpose. Your purpose is what God created you for. He gifted you with unique talents and strengths to live out your purpose. Take a look at Avodah. “Avodah is spiritually centered and is based on one’s hope, trust, faith, and belief. It is about giving up control to truly yield and surrender one’s vocational discernment to prayer and meditation. It is about what the Lord can do through us. It is about us being patient and acting in His time, for His purposes, and serving dutifully.” (Vic Clesceri, The Management Sherpa)
A clear sense of purpose will influence your business goals, the way you run your business and how you treat people (clients as well as employees). If you are still struggling with determining your purpose, start with Avodah and figure out what you need to work on. If you need help determining your gifts and talents, consider taking assessments. The Hessel Church Spiritual Gifts assessment can help you quickly pinpoint some of your spiritual gifts. The CliftonStrengths® assessment empowers people to be and do their best based on their innate talents. Consider hiring a faith-based coach to get you started in your journey. Aligning your passions and talents along with service to others ill help you discover God’s purpose for your life.
Deepening Your Prayer Life as a Business Owner
Prayer helps you to maintain a spiritual focus. Create a prayer routine so it does not get left out of your busy schedule. If you need to, schedule it in. Introducing intercessory prayer to your team can have a positive impact on your people and your business. They will know you care and know your priorities. Consider joining a prayer group. It can be in-person or virtual. The Faith Driven Entrepreneur offers a weekly, virtual prayer group where you can connect and pray together. You can also look into your Church for a vibrant prayer community.
Being a Disciple Through Your Business
It is important to reflect Christ-like values in everyday business practices. These values are integrity, honesty, compassion, service to others, fairness, forgiveness, humility, diligence, responsibility, and prioritizing the needs of others over personal gain. We are taught the “me first” mentality and society clearly supports and encourages it. Reflecting these Christ-like values will not only set you apart as an employer and businessperson, but will demonstrate who you are at your core, a Servant Leader living for God.
Providing benefits and compensation that truly supports and cares for your employees is one way that these values are demonstrated. Making decisions that positively impact the environment, your employees and your clients over profit is another way. Yes, God does allow you to make a profit. It is how you earn it and what you do with it that matters. Fostering a workplace culture rooted in faith and love is another important way to live your Christ-like values. Creating a family that cares for and prays for each other is a great way to demonstrate true discipleship.
Evangelizing Through Business with God as Your CEO
Evangelization is usually a word that scares people. It is often viewed as imposing your beliefs on others. When you really think about it, evangelizing is sharing something that you love, something that is a part of who you are. You can evangelize by living a Christ-like life, including professionally. Let your life be a reflection of your faith. Let your business be a testament to your faith. You do not have to practice preaching in public. There is great power in personal testimony, kindness, and ethical excellence. You can share your faith story or your faith as you build your professional relationships. For example, if you are going through or have overcome a difficult situation and someone asks how you did it, you were just given permission to talk about your faith.
Letting God Be the CEO of Your Business
There are many ways to involve God in business decisions. Be open about your faith in business and where God is in your priorities. Open and close meetings with prayer, asking God to bless whatever the needs are at the time. Consult the Bible for advice. Have conversations with God where you are listening for His answers. Prioritize treating people with dignity and respect over making a profit. Remember, you don’t want to gain the whole world just to lose your soul.
Live Your Faith, Personally and Professionally
When you surrender to God, you will be able to live your purpose. Being a disciple in business is part of that purpose. God created you for an amazing life. Embrace it. Remember you do not have to do it alone. Surround yourself with a great support network. Check out Faith Driven Entrepreneur. Take that first step in letting God lead your business. Carry this with you in your journey: Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, do from the heart, as for the Lord and not for others,”. (usccb.org) Go and let God.
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