To my friends in business and leadership, whose hearts cry out, “Take my side, God — I’m getting kicked around, stomped on every day. Not a day goes by but somebody beats me up; they make it their duty to beat me up” (King David, Psalm 56:1).
To my friends in business and leadership, whose thoughts, forever running, tears and sweat pouring out, crying out, “There are kids… These are parents… There are families depending on me, on my decisions, on our success, our profit… for income, to thrive, to eat, to receive an education for their futures…”
Crying out, “There are workers, people – real people, who have invested in this business, this organization, trusting for a fruitful outcome one day, to get their kids through college, to one day retire from their labor… And, oh, how we have worked – how they have worked… I have worked and worked and worked, hour after hour, investing time, finances, years – maybe even forfeited years of my life – to see a fruitful outcome one day.”
Crying out, “…But, here and now, the statements pile up, the expense bleeds without profit to account for it, without profit to shore it up, to even it out, let alone advance. Oh, God, what do we do?!”
As King David did, so can we: “When I get really afraid, I come to you in trust. I’m proud to praise God; fearless now, I trust in God. What can mere mortals do? …You’ve kept track of my every toss and turn through sleepless nights, each tear entered in your ledger, each ache written in your book” (King David, Psalm 56:1-8).
When we get really afraid, we trust in God.
Go to the Lord. Lay your burdens at His feet. You cannot bear this burden on your own. It is true: You do not have the answers to make the best decisions on your own, or the means to provide for your team or your family on your own. But, God has the answers in full supply! He is working behind the scenes on your behalf, on your team’s behalf, for you.
You have been crying out, “Oh, God, what do we do?!” Lean on Him. Lean into Him. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
You feel fear because you cannot trust yourself to make the right decisions. Release this fear. Set it free. Don’t talk yourself into why you can be trusted. Instead, acknowledge it is true: You cannot trust yourself. But, you can trust the Lord!
When we submit to the Lord, He makes our paths straight. Our submission has a holy, positive impact on those around us, as well. They see God through us, instead of seeing us.
In this time, especially, I urge you to remember: You are not your employee’s provider. You are not your family’s sole provider. God is their provider. He will work to perform His Word. And, when He does, it will become clear that it was Him. It will be clear that He performed the work, that He provided the provision, the miracle. It will be clear that He caused the impossible to become possible; and, He will receive all of the glory. (He does not need to share His glory with us! It’s so embarrassing to think of the times I wanted some glory. Yuck!)
Take this time to surrender to the Lord. Lay this all at His feet. Rest in Him as He accomplishes the God-sized work that only God can work! And be ready to give Him the glory and the praise for His wondrous works!
We praise you, Lord! Your ear is not deaf to our cries, nor is your arm too short to save. We put our total trust in you, Creator, Provider, Sovereign God.
I am praying for you, leaders – for rest in your minds and in your bodies, peace on your nervous systems, and for calming on your adrenaline. Rest. Here is a wonderful Psalm to meditate on, to cast our burdens on the Lord, as we refocus our gaze onto Him:
Psalm 40: 1-5
“I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him.
Blessed is the one
who trusts in the Lord,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.”
Sarah Guldalian 