Five Lessons for the Faith-Driven Entrepreneur
Reflecting on the best of times and worst of times.
There’s a lot of turmoil in the marketplace.
The Office of Digital Services (AKA DOGE) is modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity, which is reducing the workforce.
Yet at the same time, there are many opportunities for the entrepreneurial minded.
My journal from 2020 is subtitled “Pandemic Edition,” and there’s much to process.
When customers stopped placing orders, business slowed in early 2020, and governors forced companies to close, the resulting fear and anxiety overwhelmed many business owners.
When orders increased beyond their capacity throughout 2020, it was all some businesses and owners could do to keep up despite the unconstitutional (and some say unscientific) lockdowns and restrictions.
It was as if Charles Dickens was a prophet:
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way - in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
My thoughts reflect the range of emotions many of us experienced in 2020: fear, frustration, anger, and sorrow. My journal also overflows with gratitude, joy, and hope.
For some people, 2020 was devastating. For others, it was the best year of their lives.
As I reflect on the years that many of us are glad to leave behind, I learned these lessons:
1. We are Two-sided People Who are Desperate to be Whole
In Christ, you have nothing to prove and nothing to lose. With each new day, you can leave behind past sins and walk boldly and confidently into the future God calls you through Christ.
When you stop worrying about where you fail and instead focus on how God redeemed and restored you, you are free to keep your mind and thoughts on God’s transforming work in your life and the world around you.
You are the culmination of your choices: Daily decisions to trust and obey, defining choices that refine your character and set the direction for your life.
You must show up wholeheartedly as an entrepreneur, business owner, or employee. The people you serve expect nothing less.
Whatever you do, whatever choice you make, live wholeheartedly because you are working for and seeking to please God.
2. Success Comes When you Submit Your Plan to God’s Purpose
At the beginning of 2020, I was thinking about the compounding effect—of little actions over time—that contribute to long-term impact and growth.
In Philippians 1:18-26, the Apostle Paul struggled with his longing to leave this world and his desire to remain for the people he loved. He concluded by saying:
“But for your sake, it’s better that I remain in this life. Since I’m convinced of this, I know that I will continue to live and be with all of you. This will help you to grow and be joyful in your faith.”
Paul knew his purpose. In seeking God’s direction for EntreWorship, he affirmed why I write for you: To help you experience the joy of faith in your work, leadership, entrepreneurial journey, and business.
3. We are Designed to Fight for Truth and Beauty
When we misunderstand when the Bible teaches us about our heart, mind, and spirit, we miss out on the richness of redemption and the wholeheartedness God desires. God created us to be whole beings. When you commit to living wholeheartedly, your thoughts and behavior are in sync.
Kenneth Bailey points out in “Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes,”
“But what exactly is the “heart” in biblical literature? Modern Western culture limits the word heart to the feelings. But the heart in the Hebrew mind included the entire interior life of the person: the feelings, the mind, and the will or all part of “the heart.” (Page 84)
When we live wholeheartedly, we can be confident there are principles worth thinking about and fighting for. The Apostle Paul wrote,
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” (Philippians 4:8, NLT)
Truth and beauty are worth thinking about and fighting for in a culture that devalues your worth, work, and the principles you believe.
4. Entrepreneurs Who Pivoted Prospered
Late in 2020, I took a call from a devastated business owner. “My business has collapsed, and I’m at a crossroads,” he said. “We’ve lost 70% of our client base and drained our retirement. I’ve put everything I have into sustaining the business. I probably have three months left before we go broke.”
“Can you help me? What will it cost to fix it?”
Unfortunately, the investment he had to make was more significant than the investment he should have made in early 2020.
He failed to pivot to effective and efficient ways to win new clients, sustain relationships, and serve people.
Many businesses pivoted to a new model and experienced their best years.
5. We Are All Essential
Regardless of what any government official decides or legislates, it is not their role, right, or responsibility to declare which individuals or vocations are essential. To do so reveals a disregard for basic principles, denies our inalienable rights, and demeans the fundamental nature of Christ’s sacrifice.
Limiting our right to work when, where, and how we choose eliminates the spirit of risk and reward associated with the entrepreneurial spirit found in cultures worldwide. People want freedom to choose their present and future without being told what to do.
Because we are prone to allowing our job or vocation to define our identity, we begin to doubt who we are, who we serve, and our calling when we face challenges in our work.
In “Essential: Finding Worth in Your Work During Uncertain Times,” I wrote:
“When you think of your job or vocation as something that only fulfills your need, you may be disappointed. When you believe your work, career, or role is precisely that to which God calls, you can be confident in its worth because you are an essential member of the body of Christ.
Your job is a spiritual gift from God that empowers you to meet the needs of others. That alone should set you free. No matter where you serve, you are fulfilling your calling!
Who you are matters far more to God than what you do. Work is a precious gift from God, but it must not define who you are.”
Entrepreneurship and work are a gift. Your work doesn’t define who you are; you have worth because you are made in the image of God, the gift-giver.
To everybody who works, remember this truth: You are essential.
Don’t let anybody convince you otherwise.
Are you experiencing anxiety and uncertainty in the workplace? Are you discouraged at work? Do you sometimes feel like everyone else is essential but you?
Get or give a copy of Essential: A 30-Day Devotional for Faith-Driven Professionals, which will help you gain a fresh perspective on how you are crucial to the world around you and for the body of Christ.