Tag Archives: hearing from God

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Why Are You Feeling Stuck In Your Job?

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When you wake up in the morning, are you truly excited to go to work? Why? Be honest, does your mind jump to all of the thrilling opportunities you have in front of you for that day? Do you start thinking about how fortunate you are to be able to do what you do for a living?

why

Not Too Excited

If you are like too many people in this world, you could not answer “yes” to any of these questions. In fact, you possibly felt that a “yes” answer was not even a remote possibility. If anything, you may could think of a handful of days over too long a period of time when you were excited to go to work, but they probably were not normal days.

If this is true of you, it may also be true to say that you have drifted into a kind of survival mode at work. Maybe you are on some kind of cruise control in your job. You are just doing your best to keep things going as they have been. You may not necessarily be falling behind or slacking on your job, but you are not really gaining ground either.

Know Why You Are Stuck?

Does any of this describe you? Are you tired of being stuck? Do you wish there was a way to get out of this rut? Have you thought about it on occasion but you don’t really know what to do to change things? Hopefully, you CAN answer “yes” to some or all of these questions.

I say that because I think I might have your answer.

Please know up front that I am not the expert here. I do not claim to be able to fix everything about your job. I may not even be able to completely resolve this specific situation I am describing right now.

Why I Can Help

At the same time, I do believe I can help. I believe I can help you get your passion back. I think I can show you something you might be missing. In doing so, I think you can quickly move into a position where you are eager to go to work again!

Does this sound too good to be true?

Based on my experience, it is not.

Why Is The Secret!

It is my belief that too many people struggle with their work for one simple reason….

Either they have forgotten their true “Why” or they have the wrong “Why”.

If you ask the majority of people why they do the work they do, they likely have a hard time answering you. Some will say they do this work because its what they know how to do. Or it is what they (or their family) have always done.

Others will point to their income and say that no other work would pay them as well. You might hear someone answer that they do the work they do because it used to excite them. They used to love it, but it has now gotten old or no longer thrills them the way it did before.

What About You?

What is your answer to this question? Why do you do the work you do? Why do you have the job you have? Why do you go to work every day?

If you have not thought about this, I encourage you to take some time and think about it. In fact, if you are serious about improving your situation, then I suggest you actually take the time to write out an answer to these questions. Act as if you must turn in this answer for a grade…an important one.

The Why Is The Root

Here is the root problem – you cannot get fulfillment from a job (and the fulfillment is what is missing) when you are not there for a clear reason that gets to the core of who you are.

More simply put, you cannot enjoy your job if you don’t know why you are there.

More Than A Paycheck

And this “Why” has to be more than just a paycheck or an entry on a resume. It has to resonate with your soul. The “Why” must connect directly with the person you want to be. It needs to bring goosebumps or cause a chill to go down your spine.

It has to be that significant.

Anything less will fade over time and put you right back where you are now.

Too Much To Ask?

So, the first thing you are probably thinking is that this is asking too much. Maybe someone like Dr. Ben Carson can have this kind of a “Why” when he surgically separates conjoined twins and enables them to have fully separate and productive lives.

Or you might think that kind of a feeling is possible for someone like Mother Teresa or Billy Graham. Maybe you think that these are the kinds of people that get chills when they think about the impact they can have on others, but for you to hope for this kind of “Why” is just not reasonable.

I disagree.

Different, But Still Impactful

It is true that your “Why”, and especially your “How”, can be different from theirs. At the same time, your “Why” can and SHOULD have the same impact on you that theirs has on them! No joke!

In my next post, we will go a little deeper into what your “Why” should be. Before I do that, I am charging you with taking some time to think about this on your own. Pray about it. Ask for wisdom and insight into this idea. God is faithful and He will answer you. I will be praying for you as well.

Have you thought about your “Why” before?

What are some of your reasons to do what you do?

Does your “Why” reach to your core?

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Do Not Ask WWJD!

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Charles Sheldon’s book, In His Steps, introduced Christians to a powerful question more than 100 years ago. Since then, Christians have been asking “WWJD?” (What Would Jesus Do?) when faced with difficult choices or deciding what action to take. I am a huge fan of that book and it is on my recommended reading list. In fact, I believe every Christian should read it, but it is my recommendation that you NOT ask this question. Let me explain.

WWJD

Sports Hero?

In an effort to create a visual illustration of my thought process, I want you to think of your favorite sports figure. Picture in your mind a scene where they are exhibiting the height of their skills in a single move.

Maybe you are picturing a wide receiver in football making an unbelievably acrobatic, one-handed catch while diving for the end zone. Maybe it is a batter in baseball reaching for the outside curveball, getting just enough of it to send it over the infield and into the outfield before dropping to allow the game-winning run.

I could go on with examples, but I believe you get the picture. The idea here is that this athlete is doing something that you would love to imitate. If you could, you would put yourself into his or her position and do the same thing, right? Haven’t you dreamed about something similar at one time or another?

You Are Not Prepared

Here is the problem. You and I are not prepared for that situation. We have not put in the hours of practice, workouts, stretches, and training that this particular athlete has given. The move or play that you saw them make was the culmination of thousands of hours of preparation.

For you or me to be given the exact same opportunity and expect to be able to make the same play as our favorite athlete – that is somewhat crazy, don’t you think? While I am perfectly okay with a fantasy like this, I do think we need to recognize that it is just that…a fantasy.

Hours Of Work Required!

The only way you or I could truly be ready to execute the same play would be to prepare in the same way, right? We really would need to put in the hours of hard work, practice, and training if we wanted to be able to direct our bodies to respond the same way.

This idea is no different in business, right? It would be naive for us to expect to be able to have the insight or acumen necessary to identify and exploit a huge profit opportunity in the market without having the years of experience and learning in that particular industry.

Why Different When Imitating Jesus?

So why is it that we think we can simply ask the question, “WWJD – What would Jesus do?” and get the answer we need? Why do we think we can wait until the heat of the moment when faced with temptation, tough moral choices, or other decisions before we ask this question?

Put Jesus in the place of the athlete in the earlier illustration. Like them, He prepared for a lifetime. As a man, He spent his life seeking the will of His Father. He was constantly withdrawing to a quiet place to be alone with His Father and pray. He was totally and completely focused on living out His mission on earth, not allowing distractions.

More Than Asking WWJD!

In the same way, if we truly want to imitate Jesus, we must do more than simply ask what He would do in any given situation. Instead, we must be willing to dedicate the time, energy, and effort necessary to prepare as He prepared.

If we really want to run our businesses the way Jesus would run them if He were the boss, then we must focus our minds and hearts on learning all we can about Him and His actions. We cannot simply hope the answers will appear just because we ask the WWJD question.

Disciplined Discipleship!

We must commit the time in the mornings to read His Word. Studying the Bible and how it applies to each of us today is critical. We must memorize Scripture so that we can quote it in the face of temptation, just like He did.

We have to prioritize time alone in prayer with our Father the way Jesus did. If we are not constantly communicating with God in a way that allows us to become intimately familiar with His overall will for our lives, then we will have no clue what Jesus would do in a given situation.

Time With Sinners?

We also need to spend our time around sinners and those in need. While you may not immediately see how this can be helpful, I promise that it is. First of all, this is something Jesus did so that is really all you need to know. If you will just do it for a while, you will begin to see why it is necessary.

But since you are impatient, I will tell you that spending your time around these people will increase your sensitivity to the needs of the world around you. You will be better able to see that this life is not all about you, but is about God and communicating His love to everyone. Doing this will enable you to feel the compassion Jesus had for those around Him.

Answers From Preparation

When you combine all of the above over a period of time, you will find that the answer to your question (WWJD) will come more easily. The more you prepare like Jesus did, the more you may find you don’t even need to stop to ask the question – the answer will already be there.

What are your thoughts about asking WWJD?

How prepared do you feel you are to ask the question?

What should be your next step in preparation?

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Prayer: Voicemail Or Live Call?

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I have a confession to make. I am not good at prayer. I am not someone who is consistent with long, meaningful prayer time on a daily basis. Sure there are times when I pray more than others, but more often I struggle with doing it at all. While this may surprise you, I am betting many of you struggle the same way.

prayer

What Is The Problem?

So what is the problem? Why is it so hard for us to pray? Why does it feel so dry at times, like it is one-sided rather than a conversation between friends or a father-child talk?

Since I am one that struggles with this, I will go ahead and tell you that I do not have all of the answers. I do not have a simple 3 step plan that will turn you into a prayer warrior. If that is what you were hoping for, then I am sorry to disappoint you.

What I will do is walk through my thoughts on the roots of the problem. Hopefully, something I say will help you move closer to a more meaningful prayer life. If so, I would love to hear your thoughts on this in the comment section.

Prayer Is A Privilege!

First and foremost, we have to realize that prayer is an incredible privilege. It is not meant to be a burden to us, but a remover of burdens. It is not to be an item on our daily “To Do” list that we simply check off. Instead, it is the unimaginable opportunity to speak directly with our Creator!

Prior to Jesus, only a select few (priests) were allowed to pray on behalf of the people. Now, after the curtain has been torn during the crucifixion, we are given the freedom to approach God as individuals. We are no longer forced to make our requests or give our praises through someone else as our mouthpiece.

We are His children with the right to approach Him directly! Until we see God as a Father that loves us more than we can imagine, we will struggle to pray. Until we recognize that He wants a personal relationship with us, we will see prayer as a burden.

Prayer Is Live!

Along that same line of thinking, we have to recognize that prayer is not like leaving a voicemail for God. We do not have to call and leave a message for Him. We are given the freedom and opportunity to call Him anytime…and we get Him live! He is listening to our every word, observing the feelings in our hearts, and speaking back to us.

Sure, I agree that it would often be a lot easier if He would simply speak audibly and give us the instructions on what we are to do. It would make life simpler if we heard His voice in a back-and-forth dialogue!

At the same time, we must remember that God’s goal is not our ease or comfort. His goal is to conform us to the likeness of Jesus. He is not interested in making everything easier for us. He is more interested in our growth.

Through His Word

Instead of speaking to us audibly, God has already given us His Word. If we would treat the Bible as His Word, spoken directly to us, to be learned, internalized, and followed as we live our lives, I am convinced we would find prayer to be less of a struggle.

I do not think it is a coincidence that I see my times of least effective prayer to be happening at the same time I am also struggling to spend focused time studying the Bible. I think there is a direct relationship between our confidence in prayer and the amount of time we spend reading God’s Word.

Practice Required!

Finally, I think we cannot ignore that sometimes we simply have to keep doing something for a while before we become “good” at it. Whether it is giving presentations, analyzing reports, or interviewing candidates, nothing is normally easy and comfortable the first few times we do it.

It takes commitment and dedication to the practice of prayer before we feel natural when doing it. We must realize there are going to be dry spells. There are going to be times when we feel our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling. We are going to experience days when it feels like we are leaving a message after the beep.

Despite this, we must continue to try. We need to spend more time in God’s Word and begin building our relationship with Him, one brick at a time. Over time, I think we will see our prayer muscles begin to develop and we will see more fruit from our efforts!

Do you approach prayer like voicemail?

Do you see the connection between effective prayer and being in His Word?

How much effort are you actually giving to extended time in prayer?

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Is Your Plate Too Full Or Too Small?

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You have most likely heard the expression (and probably used it many times), “My plate is too full!” Maybe you used the “full plate” as an excuse to say no to someone recruiting leadership for your industry’s state association. Maybe it was something else. Either way, I think your perspective is off.

full plate

Not More Tasks!

First of all, this is not a post about taking on more tasks or duties than you can handle. I am not a proponent of over-scheduling and hoping for the best. That “full plate” behavior is probably one of the most detrimental to a sane quality of life. I promise I am not advocating that at all!

Instead, I want you to think back over the past several months or years. Do you remember any ideas, thoughts, or urges coming to mind that excited you, but as you looked at all you were already trying to do (with not enough success), you decided your plate was too full?

If you took the time to get away and really brainstorm some of these types of ideas, do you think you would come up with any that would just seem too big given your current circumstances? Maybe they would require too much time, energy, or resources?

Can’t See Adding To Full Plate?

Do your dreams sometimes get brushed aside because you are looking at a full plate and cannot see a way to add to it without something else falling off? If you have had these thoughts, then you are not alone. Fortunately, I think I know the problem (and solution!).

As you look over your “full plate” and see it crammed full of stuff (some of it is really good stuff!), you are likely doing some sort of math in your head and quickly determining that your time, energy, and resources (the size of your plate) will barely hold your commitments. Sometimes you even realize you are overdrawn!

Your Plate Is Too Small!

The problem is not that your plate is too full. The problem is that your plate is too small! You heard me, you simply have to get a bigger plate. If you could only snap your fingers and dramatically increase the size of your plate, then you could suddenly be able to handle more. Your dreams could be bigger and your accomplishments could multiply.

If your plate was bigger, your eternal impact could be greater!

See, I told you I knew what the problem was! Aren’t you glad I shared that with you? Now you can run right out and get a bigger plate, right? You might want to try Bed, Bath, and Beyond or even Home Depot or Sam’s Club. Don’t you think they would have them?

Okay, you are right. That is not going to help. So, what is the real problem? And what is the real solution?

You Are The Problem!

The problem is right there in the mirror. You are the problem. You are the problem because you are only considering your own time, energy, and resources when you determine the size of your plate. You have decided that your plate is effectively the same size as the sum of your time, energy, and resources.

That thinking falls short of the truth. Sure, you need to consider your own resources, but there are infinitely more resources available to you if you are just looking for them. And no, these resources cannot be purchased at the local big box retailer.

God Is The Solution!

The solution I am talking about is God. Quite simply, your full plate is too small because you are only considering your own resources and not including those of an all-knowing, all-powerful God.

Assuming your goals and desires are aligned with His will, then the solution to your problem is to begin enlisting God in your efforts. While that seems overly simple, it is the truth.

Instead of assessing a task, strategy, or dream based on your own ability to achieve it, begin asking God if it is what He wants you to do. Forget the fact that you feel like your plate is full. Trust Him to lead you in the direction He wants you to go and watch Him provide the necessary resources to accomplish it.

Allow God…

If you will begin allowing God to inspire your dreams and trusting Him to accomplish them THROUGH you, the size of your plate will grow exponentially! Of course, then you had better buckle up! The ride is about to get wilder than you can even imagine!

The real problem is with the size of our faith. Like I said in an earlier post about “practical atheism,” we don’t often back our talk of faith with a real walk in faith. Too often, we say we believe, but our actions suggest that belief is not strong enough to take us very far.

Reconsider Your Dreams

Take some time and think about your recent (and not-so-recent) dreams. Did you brush them off due to a full plate? If your plate suddenly tripled (or more) in size, would you reconsider those dreams? If so, start praying that God will build your faith in Him to the point where you can accept the plans He has for you!

Has your full plate kept you from following God’s leading?

Do you see how your full plate could simply be too small?

What would you do with a larger plate?

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How To Handle Frustration In Prayer

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In my last post, I talked about our 3 responsibilities in asking things of God. While I do believe these 3 responsibilities are very real and effective, I also know (from experience) that they do not constitute a formula for getting what we want from God. In fact, sometimes we meet frustration in prayer despite following these steps!

frustration in prayer

Frustration In Prayer?

See if these questions from my last post resonate with you. If you have prayed for anything for an extended period of time, you have likely asked these questions in some form or another.

So what is the deal? Why is it so different when we are asking of God? Why do we often get no answer (or one we don’t like!) even after praying for such a long time? Why does He seem to delay or withhold what is good from us?

Because He Loves Us!

The first answer to these questions? Because He loves us. The world puts on a show at times, but it does not love us! In fact, it hates us (John 15:18-19). So what the world will give us is often exactly what we want, but not what is good for us. God may not always give us what we want, but He WILL give us what is good for us.

This very point is made in the passage we looked at in my last post. Take another look…

9 What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:9-11

His One Condition

Most of us miss the one condition that Jesus places in this passage about praying and receiving. He says that our Father will give us GOOD gifts. The condition for receiving is that the gift (what we are asking for) must be good for us. Let’s word the passage a different way to help make this point.

What if it read this way…What man among you, if his son asks him for a stone would give it to him? No, you would give him bread. Or if he asks for a snake, would you give that to him? No, you would give him fish!

Nothing Bad For Us!

Clearly, our Father is not going to give us something that is bad for us. He loves us too much for that. His purpose is to conform us to the likeness of His Son Jesus. Anything that would delay or reverse His progress in this purpose, He will withhold from us!

So, if this is true (and I am convinced based on Scripture that it is), then how should we move forward in prayer for those ideas, things, etc. that we have been praying for over a period of years? Do we quit asking despite the encouragement in this passage to “keep on asking”? How do we know what to do to eliminate this frustration in prayer?

Try These 3 Steps

I believe the following three steps can help. Again, please do not take these steps as a formula to get what you want. Take them as a guide to better ask for God’s will for you while learning exactly what that is. I hope you find these steps useful.

Step #1 – Keep Praying With Faith

As we read in my last post, there are plenty of references in Scripture that point us in this direction. We are NOT to give up praying just because we have not yet received an answer. We are NOT to give up praying simply because our request MIGHT not be good for us.

No, keep praying. Be persistent. Remain diligent and seek His face for whatever it is you want. This part is not unclear.

Step #2 – Acknowledge Possible Conflict

WHILE you are praying for whatever it is that has been on your heart, begin acknowledging to God that what you are praying for may not be good for you. Don’t stop praying for it, but let Him know you are willing to let go of it if He shows you it is His will for you to do so.

Maybe He will show you right then that your request is in conflict with His will for you. Maybe it takes time for this to happen. Maybe He will eventually grant your request when His timing is right. The Holy Spirit will guide you in this if you are attentive.

The point here is to keep asking until you receive the request or you learn it is not in His will for you. Either way, the prayer for that particular request should not end until one of these two results has occurred.

Step #3 – Listen More Closely

Finally, AS you continue to pray, also commit yourself to spending more time with God. You can do this through a combination of prayer, Bible study, fasting, and listening to His voice. The goal here is to draw closer to Him and to become more familiar with His heart and His voice.

As you do this (otherwise known as “delighting yourself in the Lord” Psalm 37:4), you will begin to see several things happen. One result will be that you will begin to know more about what God’s purposes are for your life. You will also begin to understand His heart more. His voice will become more familiar to you as well.

The result of this could be that you get clarity on whether your requests are in His will for you or not. You will also find that your desires begin to change. No longer will you want to have as much to do with what the world offers because you will find yourself drawn more to what God’s will offers, especially as this will comes more into focus.

No Downside!

Rather than stew in the frustration that comes with unanswered or apparently declined prayer (talking to myself here!), begin taking the above steps to dive deeper into the relationship with your Father. I promise, there is no downside to this!

How long have you experienced frustration in prayer?

Do you see how these steps can help?

Which is the toughest for you?

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3 Responsibilities In Asking Of God

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In our culture today, if we want something, we just ask for it. And usually, we get it and we get it fast. We can literally pull into a drive-thru and have a hot meal, made to order, in less than 5 minutes. When we are asking of God, however, things are different…sometimes very different.

asking of God

Asking Of God For Years?

I have read about people (mostly mothers) that have prayed for years and years for family members or others to come to Christ. Others have been praying for what seems like forever to be able to have children. I have several prayers myself that have been going on over ten years!

So what is the deal? Why is it so different when we are asking of God? Why do we often get no answer (or one we don’t like!) even after praying for such a long time? Why does He seem to delay or withhold what is good from us?

Answers In Scripture

These are very good questions and ones that I think we can answer from Scripture. At the same time, I think it is important that we first answer another question. This other question needs to be answered first because it will help us better understand the answers to the first questions. Make sense?

Good! So let’s tackle the first question in today’s post and the other questions in the following post. The first question is this:

What is our responsibility in asking of God?

While this may seem like a simple question, I would like to turn to a part of the Sermon on the Mount for the foundation to the answer to this question. Let’s look at Matthew 7:7-11 and see what we find.

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 What man among you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!
Matthew 7:7-11

If you read this passage quickly, you could get quickly frustrated. It sounds like God is a vending machine. It sounds like asking of God is a quick way to get anything we want! Fortunately, this is not true. Fortunately for us, He loves us more than that, but we will get to that later!

God Does Not Work Like That!

If you have been a believer in Jesus long enough to pray for something, then you know this is not how it works. You know, likely from experience, that God is not a vending machine. Simply asking of God does not give us whatever we want the way it works in our culture.

However, there is good news! We have some responsibility in the asking and if we will follow what Scripture tells us to do, then we will get what we want (with just a little twist).

Step #1 – Go To God First

This sounds like a simple statement, but there is more to it than it seems. We cannot simply go to Him when we cannot get what we want elsewhere. We are to go to Him alone.

This means we should not be going to the world to get what we want. We should not expect our businesses, our employees, or our co-workers to give us what we want. Instead, we should be relying on God Himself to supply us with our needs.

To back this up, look at Matthew 6:33 where it says to seek Him first. Take a look at Psalm 37:4 where it says we are to delight ourselves in Him. In both verses, it follows that the rest will be given to us. The desires of our hearts will be provided by Him.

Step #2 – Go To God Continuously

The actual verb tense and mood from the original Greek in verse 7 above (ask, seek, knock) means that we are to continually do these things. We are not to ask, seek, or knock once. We are to do so repeatedly, over a period of time, with no sense of an end to these actions.

Look at the parable of the persistent widow from Luke 18:1-8. She continuously asks the local judge for justice against her adversary. She does not simply make a single request, but pesters him over time. He finally relents and grants her request, just to get rid of her!

Immediately after teaching this parable, Jesus says that God will certainly hear the cry of his children for justice and grant it swiftly! Like the widow, we need to make our requests known to God and do so with persistence. Better phrased, Matthew 7:7 might say, “the one who continues to ask as a habitual, ongoing requesting will receive.”

Step #3 – Believe It will Happen

Again looking at the original Greek tells us something interesting about the phrases, “it will be given” and “you will find” and “the door will be opened.” It tells us that these actions are believed by the author to be certain future events, not potential or possible results.

Jesus, the Son of the Living God, used language to say that He believed with certainty that these events (given, find, opened) would absolutely happen! That should be enough for us. For one more exclamation point, look at James 1:5-8.

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without criticizing, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 An indecisive man is unstable in all his ways.
James 1:5-8

In my next post, we will look at a key condition Jesus puts in this passage about asking of God and getting what we ask for. We will also look at 3 ways to apply this Scripture to our business and personal lives.

Have you made a habit of asking of God first?

Do you ask continuously or once and done?

How strong is your faith when it comes to answered prayer?

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How To Read And Apply Scripture

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We all know we need to read and seek to apply Scripture in our lives. This is no revelation. The problem is that sometimes we really don’t know HOW to do this, right? Sometimes, we read a passage and cannot understand what exactly it should be saying to us. While it sounds simple, sometimes it is not.

apply Scripture

My Effort To Apply Scripture

For today, I want to try something different from my norm. I am taking a short passage (Psalm 119:73-80) and I am attempting to put it into my own words. I have tried to imagine how each verse should apply to my life in particular and then worded it as a prayer back to God.

Keep in mind, this is clearly not Scripture itself. I am not attempting to rewrite it, only to apply Scripture to my life in my words and according to my understanding. These verses may say something else to you. The Holy Spirit is not limited in how He can speak to us!

Take a look at the following verses and see if they resonate with you. Each verse is listed in italics and then my words follow. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comment area at the end of the post.

Verse 73 – Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding so that I can learn your commands.

    Father, Your hands made every part of me and formed each of my strengths, weaknesses, talents, gifts, and desires into the man that I am. There is nothing about me that You cannot use to impact others. I don’t just want to know Your commands or even to be familiar with them, but to fully understand them. Please give me this understanding so I can apply them in every role I play, in every part of my life.

Verse 74 – May those who fear You rejoice when they see me for I have put my hope in your word.

    I pray that all those who fear You and know You in a real way would be glad to see me and do business with me because they see You in our business. This is not for the sake of the business itself, but for the relationships between us and so that both of us are impacted in a way that draws us closer to You.

Verse 75 – I know, Lord, that your judgments are just and that you have afflicted me fairly.

    Lord, Your rules and judgments are perfect and true, even when they do not make it easy for me. I realize You have a much bigger perspective than I do and therefore I will not always understand Your ways. At least I know they are perfect as You are and that your application of them in my life is fair. I thank You for Your promises here.

Verse 76 – Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant.

    Father, I know my choice to be in business means I will face challenges and struggles on a regular basis. As a result, there will be times of loneliness and frustration. I accept that. I ask that You comfort me during these times with Your endless love. You have already promised this in Your word – I just claim it now!

Verse 77 – Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live, for thy law is my delight.

    In addition to the times of frustration, there will also be times when I personally fall short of Your expectations and guidelines for my life. Though I do not intend to do so because I love Your laws, I know that I am flesh and will disappoint You. I pray now that Your mercy will come to me in those times. I pray not only that You will show me mercy, but that I will recognize it. I also pray I will show that same mercy to others.

Verse 78 – May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts.

    Often because of the business I am in, there are those who disparage me with lies. Though they do not know the truth, they arrogantly assume they do and speak as such. I pray that at some point You will shame them for these lies. To make sure I avoid this same behavior myself, I will continue to meditate on Your word. Help me with this!

Verse 79 – Let those who fear You, those who know Your decrees, turn to me.

    Lord, I interact with many people on a daily basis. While I know I am to be an ambassador to those who do not know You, I pray that you will surround me with others who do know You. I need the companionship, mentoring, and accountability from those who have walked with You and know You and Your ways.

Verse 80 – May my heart be blameless in your statutes, that I may not be put to shame.

    Father, I read Your word regularly and try my best to follow what it tells me. However, you know I am sinful and tend to wander from Your path. Please strengthen my faith to stick to Your path and give me a clean heart so that I am not ashamed of my behavior, thoughts, and deeds. I want to reflect You to those around me.

What does it look like when you apply Scripture to your life?

Have you done it like this before?

What methods would you recommend to apply Scripture to your life?

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Giving: Are You The Eye Dropper Or The Jug?

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Recently, a good friend of mine was teaching on the topic of giving and he asked an interesting question. He told us to imagine we were desperately thirsty and someone offered us water to drink. His question was this, “Would you prefer they give you drink out of an eye dropper or a gallon jug?”

giving

Give Me The Jug!

I am pretty sure your answer to that question is the same as mine – I want the gallon jug! I am not sure anyone would prefer quenching their thirst out of an eye dropper over a gallon jug. No real brain teaser there.

It was his follow up question that got my attention.

When giving, are you more like the eye dropper or the jug?

Great Giving Analogy

Since I am one that likes analogies, this was perfect for me. I instantly understood the question and began thinking of the appropriate parallels. While virtually analogy has its limitations, I think there are several lessons we can get from this picture.

First, think about how much and how often you give. I am not really talking about your tithe at this point, but all that you give over and above the tithe. [This post is not about whether the tithe is a New or Old Testament requirement or expectation. Set this issue to the side for now.]

Questions To Ponder

How often do you find yourself giving to those around you? How much do you give?

Does your giving hurt? Is your giving sacrificial or out of abundance?

When you think about this, are you separating your business and personal lives?

Do you hesitate or are you quick to give?

Do you think your giving represents the eye dropper or the jug?

Another Giving Perspective

Let’s think about another perspective for a moment. Let’s say you are the holder of the water and you want to give it to someone to quench their thirst. If you want to make sure their thirst is fully quenched, which would you prefer to use – the eye dropper or the jug? Why?

Certainly, you can give more and give it faster if you use the jug, right?

So how do you think God looks at us when He wants to give? Does HE see you as the eye dropper or the jug? Why should that matter?

God’s Giving

Well, if He wants to give through you and you act more like the eye dropper, then He will not be able to give you as much or as quickly as He may want. If He wants to give THROUGH you to those around you, but you are slow and tight like the eye dropper, what do you think He will do?

On the other hand, what if you give like the jug? Do you think God will give you more resources to give to others because He can give more quantity and more quickly through you? Have you considered this before?

Once again, I am giving you my thoughts based on what I believe to be true. So that you can see I am not making this up, I want to check the Scripture to make sure it backs up what I am saying.

God’s Giving Purpose

Check out the following verses from Genesis. This is God speaking to Abram (later Abraham) and giving him the original covenant between them. Notice the dual ideas of being blessed and then being a blessing:

The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

“I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 12:1-3

Blessed To Be A Blessing

Can you see that God promised to bless Abram and his people (Israel), but that they also were to be a blessing to all peoples on earth? This is HUGE and so often we neglect this very idea. We want to be blessed, but we are often hesitant to bless others with this blessing we have been given.

God did not say He would bless Abram so he could kick back and enjoy it. His intention is that the blessing He gives is to be used to bless others – all over the world!

How Achieved

Now that we see the purpose we have, let’s look at HOW we achieve it:

Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
Luke 6:38

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Be The Jug!

Hopefully, you can see that we are all to be more like the jug in our giving. As we give, we are given more. This is the principle of the sower. As we are given more, we continue to give even more. This goes on an on.

This is not a prosperity gospel. This is about God giving more through us because we have giving hearts. This is about our hearts seeing His purposes and responding with our own giving.

I pray you will take these words and ponder them. Pray that God will show you where you are today and where he wants you to be. I promise He is faithful to do it.

Because I want to give you every opportunity to take action, I am going to tell you about an opportunity for you to give right now. My friend, Pastor Rajeev, does incredible work in Northern India where the Christian population is less than 2%. He is trying right now to raise the money he needs for his annual budget.

I encourage you to stop what you are doing right now and pray what God would have you to do for Pastor Rajeev. If you want to learn more about what God is doing through Rajeev, check out the links below. At the same time, don’t let your research distract you from the immediate need! Check them out:

Partners In Action Donation Page

True Life Mission Website

Gospel For India Blog

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Are You Guilty Of Irresponsibility?

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If you look around you today, you will see the effects of irresponsibility everywhere. Your context really doesn’t matter. Whether at home, in a business, in your community, or even in the nation, the effects of irresponsibility are evident. Likely, if you are not aware of this it is only because you have become numb to it over time.

irresponsibility

Irresponsibility Examples

Andy Stanley recently completed a series on this topic. In a very simple way, he defined irresponsibility as not taking responsibility for the those things you are responsible for! That’s easy enough to understand, right? While he didn’t really focus on how irresponsibility affects businesses, I think we can make the connection fairly easily.

Let’s first look at a couple of examples. In a home with teenagers, you will likely find dirty clothes, dirty dishes, empty pizza boxes, and other items scattered around the house. I am not sure how, but this can actually happen in a matter of seconds if you are not paying close attention!

In a business, you might see similar stuff if you look in the right places! More likely, you might notice someone working a shift for someone else who did not show up or maybe apologizing to a customer for a coworker’s lapse.

Look around your community. Is there litter? Maybe you see banners advertising a food drive that ended three months ago. It could even be something as simple as a lack of windshield wash and a bone-dry squeegee next to the gas pump at your gas station! That’s frustrating when you are traveling at night!

I don’t even have to go into detail about how irresponsibility shows up in a nation – you likely already know. And regardless of your political position, you are likely sick of it. At least you are sick of it if you are one of the more responsible ones who end up paying the bill for it.

Not A Neutral Problem

See, this is the whole problem with irresponsibility. Like Andy Stanley says, it is not a “neutral” problem. If one person shows irresponsibility, then another person has to shoulder the burden. Irresponsibility on the part of one person or group creates additional burden for another person or group.

If you read that last part too quickly, then you need to go back and read it again.

Irresponsibility is not neutral. It impacts everyone.

If a towel or dirty clothes are left on the floor, someone has to pick them up. If the restrooms are left uncleaned by those responsible for doing so, the rest of the employees will suffer from it through customers complaining or just leaving and not coming back.

I think you get the idea here. Irresponsibility creates burdens for others. It creates a void that has an effect on everyone involved. Sometimes this burden or void is obvious and other times it remains hidden. Either way, it is there.

What About Us?

Let’s turn this discussion to you and me. As business leaders or owners, we have responsibility for those that report to us. We are responsible to our supervisors or owners of the company.

Our responsibilities may include training and development of our team. Maybe we are responsible for the financial health of our department or company. Our responsibility may simply be to create reporting on the activities of the business and submit it to those responsible for the activities themselves.

Whatever our responsibility, what happens when we fail to do it? What is the impact on our team, department, or company when we are guilty of irresponsibility? Who pays the price?

Only Hurts Me?

As a business owner, I could argue that when I am irresponsible, I simply do not enjoy as much profit as I would if I were fully responsible. While that is certainly the truth, it is not at all the whole truth.

When I fail to do all that I am responsible for doing in my role, others suffer. If I fail in my responsibility to provide the tools and training that the sales department requires for success, then our sales numbers suffer. As this happens, the individual sales people on the team also suffer due to a reduced income.

Their families suffer because they were depending on that income to meet their own responsibilities. Maybe this causes them to save less for their child’s college. Maybe it is worse and they cannot afford to heat their home or put enough food on the table.

I could go on and on, but there is no need. You get it.

Christian Responsibility

Just to make sure you don’t relax, let’s up the ante a bit. Like I said, as a business owner or leader, you are responsible to others. But it gets even tougher because, as a Christian, you are ultimately responsible to God. And His standards are higher!

Not only are you responsible to those around you for the business roles you play, you are also responsible to God for the influence you have with them from an eternal perspective. In addition to your business responsibilities, you are also to live in such a way that points them to God.

Just as I did in my examples above, I encourage you to take 5-10 minutes and think about the consequences of your irresponsibility in the various areas that first come to mind. Think about the responsibilities you have as a parent, business leader, spouse, etc. and then think all the way through what would happen if you are guilty of irresponsibility in any of these areas.

As you think through these consequences, pray that God would open your eyes to see them at the critical moments just before irresponsibility rears its head. Pray for the foresight to see these critical moments as well as the courage and will to step up to your responsibility.

Where do you see your first signs of irresponsibility?

Who can you enlist to hold you accountable in this area?

When are you going to start stepping up?

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How To Be A Missionary Without Leaving Your Job

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If you have been reading this blog for very long, you know that I most often write from the perspective of the Christian business owner or leader. Today I am writing about how to be a missionary without leaving your job. Instead of writing to the Christian business leader or owner, I am writing to those who are employees.

missionary

Missionary At Work?

For years, ministers and pastors have preached about heroes of the Christian faith that have left their “secular” jobs to go into Christian ministry – maybe even as a missionary. We are told they are no longer working for a paycheck, but are now serving the Lord in Christian ministry.

I am sorry if I offend you in this – especially if you have preached this before – but this is hogwash! To believe that you have to leave business or another professional industry before you can serve the Lord as a full time missionary is erroneous. It is simply not true.

Become A Missionary

Right now, right where you are, you are able to be a missionary. You can do full-time Christian ministry work right in the job you have – no moving required! You will have to change your approach, but not your location or employer.

Below are some steps I think you need to take if you want to make this happen.

Step #1 – Pray & Study

You may notice that virtually every first step I list in my blog posts has to do with prayer. Quite simply, that is because that is the best way to access the purest wisdom available to you.

In this case, I am suggesting you pray for several things from God. First, pray for the vision to see your job as a mission field. Pray that He would open your eyes to the harvest that is available right where you are. You can’t work where you can’t see!

Next, pray for a desire to grow in your faith and knowledge of Him and His Word. What you need is consistent time in His Word and an open heart and mind that can absorb AND apply what you read. Pray that God will give you a hunger for His Word so that you find ways to study rather than reasons not to!

Finally, pray that God will equip you for the specific ministry that He wants you to do. Don’t predetermine how this will look. There are innumerable ways for Him to equip you as a missionary because there are also countless ways for Him to use you in ministry on the job. Also pray for the faith to trust this equipping since you will likely face doubts when the time comes.

Step #2 – Look Around

In the spirit of the last part of Step #1, the next step is to begin looking around in earnest for opportunities for Christian ministry. Sure, you are still in the learning phase of your ministry, but you will eventually figure out that this phase never actually ends!

Begin looking at the people around you. These people could be your customers. They could be your co-workers or even your boss. Unless you work with weather balloons in Antarctica, you likely work around people! Even if your contact with them is mostly over the phone or by email, I promise you can influence them.

As you look at and study these people, look for their needs. If the people you work with are anything like the rest of the people on this planet, then they have needs! Some of these needs may not be obvious to everyone, but I guarantee you will begin to see needs that others cannot see.

Step #3 – Act

As a missionary, you are looking for opportunities to meet these needs in a way that conveys God’s love for them and points them to Him. Initially, you do not need to preach about your “Why” for serving them. You don’t need to do anything at all that explains your reasons. Just show love as you meet the needs.

This is the best part of being a missionary as an employee in your job. There are rarely, if ever, any company policies against this kind of behavior. Meeting the needs of others in a way that conveys God’s love will not get you in trouble with the HR department!

You don’t need a Bible on your desk or a cross screen saver on your computer. You don’t have to be allowed to pray out loud in a meeting or anoint anyone with oil. You can do exactly what you need to do within your employer’s guidelines!

No matter how restrictive your job happens to be, showing God’s love like this will be acceptable. So rather than hiding behind the “rules” of your employer as an excuse for not being active with your Christian faith at work, begin spreading God’s love today.

Meet needs in creative ways and allow the real joy that is in your heart to shine through. Eventually, the opportunity will likely present itself for you to share your reasons. When it does, God will give you the words and the timing. Trust Him for this. Trust Him for the results.

Step # 4 – Return To Step #1

Keep one thing in mind here. I am a strong proponent of digging into God’s Word for learning and equipping, but I am also in favor of acting NOW! Please start praying, reading, and studying now, but do NOT wait until you feel fully qualified before you start DOING Christian ministry.

Too many times, we make the excuse that we must know more before we do more. To some degree, this can be true. However, it can also be an excuse! Start acting in love and let God guide you AS you are also learning at the same time.

Pray – Learn – Act – Pray – Learn – Act.

Rinse, lather, and repeat.

If you are not already acting like a missionary at work, why not?

Do you see how simple this can be regardless of your restrictions?

What should be your next step?