Supernatural Peace Is Hard for Entrepreneurs

A couple of clients called me to cancel their retainer with my agency and I found myself engulfed in anxiety. The major source of my distress came because I had to make a choice: cut some long-standing employees from my payroll, or cut my own pay to keep my team together.

I took a risk and, for a couple of months, my partner and I cut down our own salaries and we worked overtime to gain some new clients. Unfortunately, our plans didn't produce the results we wanted. The future of my business became unpredictable, prospects were disappearing, all while forfeiting my own pay for months. The worry was so crippling that my productivity took a hit.

I was far from the hopeful, joyful, content Christian entrepreneur God created me to be.

THE PROBLEM OF STRESS IN BUSINESS

As risk-taking entrepreneurs, stress and anxiety are often our unwanted business partners. Market uncertainties, client demands, or even our own aspirations can sometimes drive us to a level of worry that sabotages not just our company but our overall sense of well-being.

How can we feel joy and contentment when nothing is going our way in the business?

Thankfully, for Christ-centered entrepreneurs, God gives us an IMMEDIATE way out of the anxiety and stress, and it's found in His word.

Paul, writing to the Philippians from a Roman prison, presents us with a contrarian, supernatural action (an idea that is the opposite of what we would naturally do).

In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul says,

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

This isn't just inspirational talk; it's Paul’s lived experience. Even in the direst circumstances, he writes to the church at Philippi to choose prayer over worry. But it's not just about prayer - it's a state of mind. Paul is "sold out" for the cause. There's doubt in his mind the mission that he's on. He's committed. He's dedicated. He's devoted to his calling and purpose.

And what is Paul's reward for his praying in the mindset he's in? A supernatural peace that guards the hearts and minds of followers of Christ.

Are you sold out for the cause of your business? Do you believe that what you do has a kingdom impact? Whether you're an architect or a restaurant owner, you have the opportunity to run a God-first business that brings Him glory. If you don't FEEL this way, then you have the opportunity to start there!

Assuming you have connected what you do to you calling in Christ, then the next time worry starts to set in, pause to pray instead. Redirect that anxious energy towards God. You're in the business He created you to do, so simply share your concerns, fears, and even your next sales and marketing projects with Him. Allow God's peace to become your shield against the worst-case scenarios your mind wants to create.

Imagine a community of Godpreneurs united not by their stress levels, but by a shared experience of divine peace that comes from choosing prayer over worry because we are in the business God created us to be in. In doing so, we're not just successful entrepreneurs; we’re also content individuals, grateful for what we have and optimistic about what's ahead, all while honoring God along our entrepreneurial journey.