This morning, I was reading the account of Saint Peter stepping off the boat to walk on water – and quickly sinking when he is overcome by fear. Usually, I connect this reading to something personal that I’m going through, but this morning, I couldn’t help but make the connection with my business.
Under any circumstance, seeking God’s face is difficult. If it was easy, we would all be walking on water. It’s easier to do this when you’re on your knees at church, and it’s less easy when you’re furiously working your way through a full inbox. And yet, there is something we miss out on if we are looking down at the waves of emails instead of at Jesus.
Here are just a few ways we can learn how to walk on water.
Taking the Focus Off of Ourselves
When I get wrapped up in my work, my busy schedule, and my project, I lose sight. The image that comes to mind is of a child at preschool who hasn’t yet learned to share. Each time someone comes close to his toys he yells, “Mine!”
We really don’t like to give up control of things we have put our blood, sweat, and tears into.
When Jesus looks over at us on the playschool mat and says, “Share with me,” something happens to the hands clutching our toy. When he takes the toy in his hand, it takes on new properties. He can do things with it we never dreamed possible.
Giving Life to Tasks
In less stormy circumstances, you can imagine Peter jumping into the Sea of Galilee and going for a nice swim. For the most part, that has been my normal approach to finishing the tasks of the day. I take strokes forward and come up for air only when I absolutely need it.
When I seek Jesus, as I embark on the tasks for the day, there is often a light that shines on those things that are most important to Him.
In a tool I created, I listed questions we should ask of God each day, and one came up that I wasn’t expecting: “God, is there someone you want me to go to today, instead of focusing on the tasks I’ve put on my list.” A struggling soul will usually – if not always – be more important to God than our monthly financials.
How often do we allow Him to speak into our focus for the day?
Seeing How Our Gifts Can Truly Impact Others
We spend the majority of our lives toiling at the work of our hands. We build, code, craft, and develop, and then we cast it out into the world. Impact can be diluted to triple bottom line, focus groups, and customer service feedback, or it can be something completely different.
We know what fruitful work looks and feels like. Many people label this by being in a “flow.” Your work is taking on a life of its own. Your talents have met the people they are meant to serve, and you can see how they are changing lives.
What is God’s desire for the people you are serving? How can what you are creating pair with this desire?
When Your Eyes Lift, So Do Those Around You
When we begin thinking of God’s desires – when we are almost preoccupied with that idea instead of our fears or our deadlines – we are lifted up. It’s different from our eyes lifting up from a church pew. When we rise above the waves in our business, we take others with us.
Our employees, our colleagues, and our customers, rise up. Whether they know it or not, when we seek God in our business, they receive the benefit.
Look at the work you’re creating, the tasks you’re doing to make things happen, and the people you’re impacting – are you sinking under it all? Or, are you rising up and walking on water?
Little movements towards God can create a big impact.