Step 4: Check Your Motivation

Perhaps you’ve been praying for direction or clarity regarding a business or leadership issue for quite some time. The Bible passages that God has drawn you to seem to be confirming your thoughts, as do a couple of your close Christian friends.

Everything seems to line up, and so you’re feeling good about the clarity. But is it all so easy? Perhaps not and here’s why…

As an business leader, you’re accustomed to giving direction, setting goals, and achieving results. You derive satisfaction from this. It’s what motivates you to do more, and the more successful you become, the more rewarding your journey.

Even so, you still want to seek God’s will and make sure that you’re on the right path. And that’s a good thing.

But coming to God for confirmation of your plans is different than coming to God for guidance. Especially if you’re being successful, you may think that you’re “in the groove” and right where God wants you to be.

So instead of listening for God’s will and trying to hear His voice, you come to God looking for confirmation of what you think is already right.

Emotions and motivation are two very similar and powerful voices. In the same way that young lovers seem to lose a sense of rationality when they fall in love, so it may be with you as an business leader—maybe especially so as a Christian business leader—when you meet with a certain level of success.

Perhaps you’re familiar with this quote:

“To a man with a hammer, everything looks like a nail.”

In the same way, your business success can easily hamper your understanding of God’s will. Everything looks like a blessing! From the world’s point of view, of course, it would seem that you’re on the right track when all is going well. But is this really so?

The Bible makes it clear that the world’s metrics and viewpoints are not to be your modus operandi. Remember Romans 12:2—only by drawing close to God and renewing your mind will you know his will:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. — Romans 12:2

Your calling is not for success in life or even to be all that you can be. Remember that Jesus never equated success with being in God’s will. Rather, He promoted a model of serving others, helping the needy, caring for the poor–summarizing all of Gods’ law as follows:

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ – Matthew 22:37-39

Just as Jesus prays for the coming of God’s Kingdom in the Lord’s Prayer, so it is your purpose to help build God’s Kingdom in your life serving others–and completing the good works which God has already prepared especially for you!

Therefore, as you seek God’s will for the issues in your life, humbly approach God with an open mind to determine what HE wants for you, not with a mindset seeking confirmation of what you think you already know especially when you’re being successful.

If the world calls you “blessed,” check with God to be sure.