"Lord, I’ve been running this business race for a while. 🏃♀️ I’ve had some highs and lows. I've had some successes and failures. I’ve loved the journey. But now something new is calling me. A new idea 💡, a new endeavor, a new adventure. And I feel the pull so strongly to let go of what I have now and run after this new thing, but does that mean I’m giving up on this business you gave me? Does that mean I’m abandoning something sacred you blessed me with? 🤔 Am I allowed to go do something new and different or will that be forsaking all the hard work you’ve put into me and what I’m doing right now?"
If this hypothetical prayer resonated with you, you're not alone. 🙋♀️ As Christians, we want to do everything right. We want to make sure our feet stay on the correct path, our eyes look straight ahead 👀, our gaze never wavering, our hearts always grateful for what the Lord has built for us (because our businesses belong to Him – not us.)
When we see something new and shiny up ahead 🤩, on a different path, we wonder if it’s our fleshly desires, our lack of focus, our frustration with our current business, or if it’s something genuinely from the Lord. 🤨 We wonder if doing this new thing and leaving behind what we know is a sign of selfish ambition or trusting God.
The truth is that I’m just one woman and I don’t have all the answers. 🤷♀️ What I say may be right for you or wrong for you. But if you’re reading this, there's a good chance that it’s time to take some questions to the Lord in focused prayer and see what answers you come up with.
My suggestion is to compare your current business – and how you feel about it – to the fruits of the Spirit. 🍒
😍 Do you LOVE your business? We all have bad days, weeks, months. We can get into funks and slumps. But ask yourself if you can whole-heartedly say, “YES I LOVE MY BUSINESS.”
😁 Does your business bring you JOY? Running a business is challenging, but does your business fill you with joy? Does it make you happy even when times are rough?
😌 Do you feel PEACE about your business? Chances are if you’re asking these questions, you don’t feel at peace about your business. Can you think of a time when you did feel peace and consider what has changed?
🙃 Do you have PATIENCE with your business? Again, if you’re asking these questions you’re probably “done” with some aspect of it. Maybe you're bored, maybe the work you’re doing takes too long to complete, maybe you’re constantly frustrated that things aren’t going the way that you want to. What would it feel like if you DID have patience in and for your business?
🤗 Does your business cause you to have an attitude that is KIND, GOOD, and GENTLE? Does thinking about or talking about your business make you angry, annoyed, short with those around you? How does your personal attitude today compare with your personal attitude back when you first started your business?
I never want to question another person’s faithfulness or self-control because that is such an individualized, personal part of our character, but feel free to ask the Lord to reveal your heart and see where you’re at in regards to those fruits of the spirits and the others listed above.
Just like the Word, we live a life of chapters. 📖 There was a chapter of our life written before we knew the Lord. There was a chapter written when we chose to follow Jesus. 🙌 There’s a chapter written about when you started your business. And maybe it’s time for a new chapter.
You’ve grown, evolved, changed as a person and business owner, and it’s okay and safe to ask the Lord what the right next step is for you. 👟 Maybe He’ll give you the answer you want. Maybe He’ll surprise you with what He says. 😱 But we worship a God who is faithful to listen and offer counsel. We can only do so much in our human brain and heart, so if you’re wondering if it’s time to keep going or move on, take it to Him.
He loves spending time with you. 🫶 He loves talking with you. He loves illuminating the path you’re on. 🔦 He loves you and your ambition and only wants what’s best for you. Spend some time with the Lord and see what He says. Whether you stay on the same path or go on to a new one, it’s going to be an incredible adventure!
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