Putting Feet to Your Faith in Business

Do you know anyone who has been talking about starting a business for the past ten years, but they haven't done it yet? Or they have incredible talent, but are afraid or hesitant to use it? They don’t think they are as good at what they do as others or care too much about what others would think if they failed. People always praise them for their ideas or skills, but they dismiss or ignore their compliments.

Maybe that person is you.

          “Just as a person's body that does not have a spirit is dead, so faith that does nothing is dead!” ~ James 2:26

We are creatures of habit. Unfortunately, many of the habits we employ are self-sabotaging, which slow our positive momentum. These habits are detrimental to our ability to fulfill our long-term potential and purpose. Not trusting God is a self-sabotaging habit. Another self-sabotaging habit is not believing that He has given you the ability to do what you can do.

While many people say they have faith in God, they don’t necessarily demonstrate that faith with their actions. Your action or inaction is a key indicator of the legitimacy your faith. The truth is you don't need faith if you're not doing anything worthwhile.

It’s not enough to have faith in yourself, because you are flawed and will eventually fail at something that you can’t overcome by yourself. It’s not enough to have faith in your faith, because eventually you’ll run into something that is bigger than your measure of faith can handle. The only true source and object of faith who has the ability to be unfailing and everlasting is God.

                     “Your life is shaped more by your daily steps than by your occasional leaps.” ~ Andrew Morgan

I realize that many people need to take baby steps in order to start applying and stretching their faith. The more you embrace discomfort the bigger your comfort zone will become. Here are some daily suggestions to stride forward in your faith in business and life:

• Activate your faith by reading and meditating on God’s Word. What you focus your thoughts on will either feed your faith or frustrate it.
• Ask yourself everyday: What am I doing to accomplish my goals?
  
• Do something everyday that’s outside of your normal routine, even if it’s driving to work on a different route.
• Do something everyday that you don’t like doing.
• Find an accountability partner who will challenge you to do new things.
  

If you practice these steps, eventually you will begin to stretch your faith. Ultimately you want to be at the place where you increase your faith by intentionally putting yourself in positively challenging situations where God has to come through for you. Most people I know don’t live like that, but I believe that’s the adventurous way that God wants all of us to live.

If you are an aspiring or current entrepreneur and you want your business to count for something significant, stop just talking about faith and really start walking by faith!