When God Says to Start a Business

Dear reader, 

I don’t know if this letter will excite you or not. But it’s about my ideas. But more importantly about the sovereign God who leads our thoughts. 

Back in Highschool I had a really big idea for a business. 

With all my time pacing back and forth at the factory I would day dream of this business, and half heartedly pray as I thought about what I would rather be doing instead of watching packages of crackers go by me on a conveyer belt. 

Some would say that isn’t inherently bad, and I would almost be able to defend myself, but I know there was a huge factor of discontent and pride that was guiding my thoughts in this manner, so the idea (the dream) needed to be put to rest. 

So I set it aside. I did nothing with it, I wanted to reconnect with God and make sure the idol I had formed wasn’t coming into the throne room with me. 

About a month ago I was sitting with God and seeking out wisdom for the next season of my life. My birthday had passed, and I was curious what He had in store for the next chapter of my life. My skills of discernment were horrible, so I truly needed to ask frequently and seek out scripture intently to have any source of direction at all. 

I thought it was pastoring. I was turned down. 

I thought it was animation. God showed me otherwise. 

I thought it was marriage. Oh boy was I wrong. 

Anything I thought it could be, God is sovereign, and He won’t allow things that He doesn’t want for me. Good and bad, he holds it all and allows it when it’s good and time. 

Well I was confused, kinda beat up, and speechless all at once. 

I remember going into my prayer closet and not having anything to say. I just had so much on my mind that I didn’t know how to articulate before the king of kings. 

Very softly it was like he said. “Why don’t you just listen?”

So I sat there quietly. Taking in scripture, promises, and little nudges from the Holy Spirit. My cup was filled and then some, it was sloshing over the edge with how much joy and peace I had received from this time of communion. 

But then it stopped. 

“Wait. You want me to do what God?”

“Remember your business idea? That was from me, and I wanted to see if you were willing to lay it down before me just as Abraham did with Isaac. You followed through, now I can lead you into what’s next.”

I was shocked, I didn’t see what God was going to do, but I knew I had no reason to not trust Him. He’s God after all, even if I don’t understand His ways, He always comes through. 

Here I was with my hands open, intrigued with God’s leading, and convinced more than ever that God’s will is not always my own, and he wants us to die to our desires so we can pick up the desires God has for us. 

That leads us into the next chapter. This is where things get a little nuts. 

Sincerely Your Idea Engineer in Training, 

-Mitchell