“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.” – Proverbs 21:31 (NIV)
There is an interesting dynamic at play that Christian entrepreneurs in every industry have to deal with: finding a balance between taking action and having faith in God as Provider. How do we avoid going to one extreme or the other?
The verse above paints a clear picture we can apply to our business lives.
As people of faith, we know that God has promised to supply all of our needs (Philippians 4:19), and we should trust Him fully for this provision. But does that mean we sit idle and wait for Him to do all the work? Obviously not.
Ultimately, victory and success comes from His hand. (That’s even true for people who don’t believe it!) But He still expects us to “make the horse ready for battle.” It’s less a matter of God “helping those who help themselves” (which isn’t in the Bible, by the way), and more an issue of cooperating with what He wants to do.
In most cases, the Lord uses His people to accomplish his will in the world. He works through us. E.M. Bounds said that “Men are God’s method…When God declares that “the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him,” he declares the necessity of men and his dependence on them as a channel through which to exert his power upon the world.”
He wants us to be willing co-workers (1 Corinthians 3:9).
What does that mean in practical terms?
It means do your part. If you want to win the battle, you have to prepare the horses. If you want to get customers, you have to market your products or services. If you want to retain clients, you have to treat them right and provide them with real value.
Do the best work you possibly can, then leave the results up to your Provider.
Read Unexpected Insights for the Christian Entrepreneur Pt. 2.
Great article Donnie. I’ve witnessed, and have been guilty myself, many Christians become paralyzed by their faith. There is a very fine line between standing still and waiting on God versus taking action and having faith that He will bless your action. I believe that “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (-James 2:17, NIV). We can’t expect things to change if we don’t plan and take action to change them.
Blessings
I’ve felt this tension countless times over the years. Am I trusting in the Lord or leaning to my own understanding? (c.f. Proverbs 3:5) I have the additional challenge of reminding myself to rely on Him, not on my own ability and cleverness.
At the same time, He does give us ability and intelligence, and He expects us to use them. We have to submit those gifts to Him, try to be sensitive to His guidance (especially as we see in His word) and always be ready to move how He leads us. His glory should be at the forefront of our thinking.
Thanks for the comment, Roger! I look forward to connecting with you more.