When I first started my kingdom walk in 2014, as God was peeling back my wellness business and showing me the first glimpses of what it meant to hustle with heart, I read somewhere that gold gets its luster and value from being exposed to fire so the impurities can bubble up and out. I’m pretty sure it was Dr. Charles Stanley‘s commentary in his Life Principles Bible.
And that that is really what God is doing in our sanctification process is he, is, he’s bringing those impurities, those strongholds to this top, to the surface. So that first of all, we can recognize them and then we can choose to lean into him to let them go. But I wanted to come to you today from first Peter, and I’m going to read this to you and then I’m going to share a little bit about why, what I think this has to do with our businesses. So bear with me as I’m looking at my Bible app on my laptop. So first Peter, verse six even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials so that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold, which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1: (02:00)
Wow. Right? Okay. So what does this have to do with our businesses? You guys, as we are pursuing success, God’s way, we will be tested. And quite honestly, even if you were not a follower of Christ, you’re going to have tests and trials and valleys in your businesses, right? But I think especially as God-centered entrepreneurs, because we choose to seek success from a different perspective. There’s some extra trials and testing that we have going on. And I don’t say that to make it sound like, you know, we’re heartier or we’re better, or we’re more, we are more tested in the world than anyone else. It’s not a comparison. But my point is that we will be tested because what others are describing and pursuing as success looks different than we have. And I don’t know about you, but even though I am committed and fully devoted to Christ at the center of my business, and, and pursuing success and hustling with heart, I still have days and multiple moments in the days where I’m going, why?
Speaker 1: (03:05)
Lord? Can I not have that? Um, why does my success not look like that? And I want you to find solace in the word daily, consistently. But in this passage from first Peter chapter one six and seven, he reiterated to us just like Jesus says that we will have trials. But the point is is that our faith is being tested so that it proves itself more precious than gold and that it the results are praise and glory and honor in Christ and you guys. I think sometimes in our businesses we can get so caught up in the goal setting and the achieving and the going for it, that we miss the point that his glory and his grace is sufficient for us. I’m not saying don’t go out and build your business and earn the money and and you know and work toward the promotion or those achievements.
Speaker 1: (04:02)
It’s not what I’m saying. If that is what God has called you to and you know that because you’ve been digging in with him and really praying over, Lord, what should my goals be and what right action do you want me to take? Go do that. I’m simply saying that we will have tests and trials, we will be tested by fire and the question is are we going to lean on our own understanding to make, to battle that or are we going to surrender that to the Lord and let it be his battle? Because you guys, he’s already gone out ahead of us and he already knows the challenges that he’s allowing in our lives and our businesses and therefore he already knows the outcomes. So are we going to surrender it to him? Is the question. So I hope you find that helpful today.
