F.A.I.T.H. Works in Business
All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible. (Thomas E. Lawrence)
Just because something is familiar to you doesn’t mean it’s fruitful for you. For example, it’s reasonable to believe that most Christians are familiar with the scripture “faith without works is dead” (James 1:27). However, I would venture to say a large percentage of them would admit that many of the things they say they have faith for have not happened yet. This is especially true for entrepreneurs, who statistically speaking only have a 50% success rate after five years of being in business, according to the Small Business Administration.
The truth is a success gap in business exists between faith and fulfillment. A time and space continuum separates your dream from its manifestation. The chasm that divides the conceptualization from the realization of your idea creates a natural tension, but can become burdensome stress when there is a huge difference between what your business is versus what it has the potential to become. Whenever we encounter a reality that is different from Divine Truth, the problem is never with God. The problem always exists with us.
How do we close the gap between faith and fulfillment to become successful in business?
So the real question is how do we close this gap to become successful in business? The answer lies on the bridge that must be constructed between faith and fulfillment, which is work. But it’s not the typical nose-grinding, stress-inducing, mind-numbing work that most people think of. The kind of work I’m talking about is a God-inspired expression of your faith.
Faith that produces results is not absent from effort, but instead, involves undertakings that are specific, strategic, and sustainable. Otherwise you will experience frustration and burn out when your vision doesn’t happen immediately. Here is what faith-driven work should look like:
Focus on your vision constantly. You must keep your vision at the forefront of all that you do in business. It becomes the filter for how you see your work and how you manage your time. Time is your only non-renewable resource, so if what you’re doing doesn’t support your vision, stop doing it or delegate it.
Act with confidence and conviction. God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. If He called you to do it, He will empower you through it. When your vision is clear and you are led by the Holy Spirit, you will be able to operate decisively knowing that God has your back and will lead you to profitability (Proverbs 3:5-6, Isaiah 48:17)
Invite expert advice. You were not created to succeed as an island. Furthermore, Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us that there is nothing new under the sun. Therefore, God has already assigned people to help you on your entrepreneurial journey who have the wisdom, expertise, or other resources from which you need to glean. Take some time to find out who they are so they can help you avoid needless delays and distractions.
Tackle the hard problems directly. Faith doesn’t make problems disappear. Instead it helps you see how to deal with difficulties promptly and candidly. The Holy Spirit is your greatest competitive advantage in business. He will show you how to find a profitable solution for every problem you encounter.
Have fun! God desires that you enjoy the process of growing your business no matter how difficult it might be. He wants your passion to be like a bright light that attracts people. Passion is contagious and the more people that are drawn to you, the more opportunities you will have to influence them for God.
If the work you’re doing doesn’t look like this, you need to change your perspective of work. The work God gives us is not meant to be toilsome, but personally strengthening and professionally rewarding. Faith works in business. You just have to learn how to make your faith work for you.