How Can God Help With Our Business?

When I stay focused on God and connected to Him it permeates every facet of life – even work.  

Especially work.  

There is no secret purpose for humans hidden in the pages of the Bible.  On the contrary, it is boldly in the open. Our purpose is to glorify God. That can look a lot of different ways but there are infinite opportunities available through our work.

Regardless of our industry or profession, our work serves a purpose if the business or organization is viable, and our work puts us in contact, relationship, and sometimes even community with more people.  Therefore, even more opportunity to glorify God.

When we glorify Him (and honestly even when we don’t) He loves us and is faithful to help us.  This is a great deal for us. If we are falling short, but our heart is His, He still helps us.  If we strive to try to glorify Him in all we do, we have a better path because His ways are the best.  And He is faithful to help us.

Let’s get practical though.  How? How can God help in our business?

1. He gives us steadfast Christian values to follow. 

If we follow God’s values consistently they actually make good business sense.  What are His values?

• Be a good steward.  Use our resources wisely.  Stay out of debt. Don’t be wasteful.
• Do not lie. Be honest.  Honesty and integrity builds trusts with employees, customers and vendors.
• Treat others as you would want to be treated.  A standard of customer and employee care… just to name a few.

2. He reduces our stress, at least if we are looking to Him. 

He tells us clearly that He will feed the birds and clothe the flowers, what more will He do for us, whom He loves. And, He specifically exhorts us to NOT worry.  In my experience, worrying affects our health, our relationships, and our business decision-making. If we keep worrying and stay stressed out, we will negatively affect our business and we are NOT trusting God. 

But when we do trust God – follow His ways, seek His wisdom and discernment – things turn out better than the alternative worry version.

3. God opens and closes doors if we let Him. 

I can always tell when I take control back from God.  It may not look all that different on the outside, but it feels immeasurably different inside.  My control may look like moving forward and getting things done. But usually I am feeling high anxiety and adrenaline.  I am only focused on the outcome. Sometimes in my barreling ahead to the outcome, I miss that the ends are not what I was really wanting.  Unfortunately, sometimes we want what we want and don’t trust that God knows better what we need.

When I am trusting God, I move forward towards a direction calmly.  If barriers come up, I look at how to move through them or around them logically and ethically. Sometimes it means slight adjustments or a new door to step through. Other times the new door closes too.  If I stay calm and looking to the Lord, I am doing my part moving forward – staying in prayer, staying focused on Him, and watching for His guidance. In 100% of all instances, following God has always led to better outcomes.

4. If we do our work in such a way as to Glorify the Lord, we will also have better outcomes. 

We will be focusing on quality work.  We will be respectful to people. We will model a strong work ethic.  We will model Christian values. And therefore, customers will value the quality work, will feel respected and served, and will know we are trying our hardest to serve them. 

Our employees will have strong Godly examples to follow, they will feel respected and appreciated, and they will work to achieve the same quality and customer care. Following and glorifying God is just good business!

5. He gives us everything. 

If 1-4 are not enough, sometimes I have to just step back and remember, it is all His anyway.  He gives us all we have. The vision for our business. Our resources. Our customers. So, when I remember this, I just stop and pray.  He hears and responds to our prayers in the way that He feels is best. And His best is all I could ever pray for.

We don’t have to have a faith-based business model for God to care about our business.  We just have to have our own faith in God and follow Him. He cares and he wants to work through us in our business and work.  We just have to be open to being a vessel.

Are you open?  Let God help you in your business.