I had lunch last week with a veteran contractor that I really look up to. I wanted to learn about his business and get as much advice as I could on how to proceed and avoid any pitfalls. Mostly, I wanted to learn how he has built his successful business.
What he told me was surprising. Mainly, he said I needed to “Stay under the blessing of God.”
Hmmm… That’s interesting business advice, isn’t it. It feels weird to write it even. What does that mean?
However, on the other hand, isn’t it true? I mean, really true?
HOW TO BE UNDER GOD’S BLESSING
For much of my life, I thought that God’s will was the one particular path that I had to search out and find. In doing so, I often felt like I was so inadequate that I couldn’t find this special plan. Instead, I was messing up the whole thing!
This left me depressed and not very satisfied with my work. The change came earlier this year when I was reading a book called The Will of God as a Way of Life by Gerald Sittser. In it, he makes the case that the will of God is not one particular path that we take. Instead the will of God is that we seek him first will all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. If we are doing that, it doesn’t matter so much what decision we make!
Wow! That simplifies it so much! Before you argue with me, take a minute to think about it. If we are seeking God daily and have yielded our lives to him, then our desires and decisions will sprout from that relationship and naturally lead us in the will of God.
I don’t have the space in this format to get too deep into this subject, but I’d highly recommend Sittser’s book.
Mainly, I’m reminded that I can have the best business plan ever, but if I’m not walking with Jesus daily I may not see any fruit, or at least feel emptiness in the process. However, if I’m committing my way to him, I may have a terrible business plan that he will bless in spite of me.
Sounds like a good plan to me!
-Peter
