What if God told you to be self-employed?

Imagine if you would, a knock on your door one day. As you approach, the light shines from outside. You open, and behold…Jesus Christ in the flesh is on your doorstep.

And He says, "My dear child, I have a path for you, and it's free from the shackles of a job that demands it must be your priority. I have a calling for you that you must take on and build and lead. So yes, the desire I've been building in your heart for something more, and the distaste and pain you have for your current circumstances…are my doing. Now go forth."

The point here is having certainty and dealing with the faith or lack thereof that we have in our own desires and decisions. Most of us pursue what we understand and what is expected of us:

• Children of doctors and lawyers often become doctors and lawyers
• Children of parents who worked 30 years at a factory generally end up working in a similar type of job
• Children of athletes or celebrities generally pursue that
• Children of entrepreneurs often pursue self-employment (this is me)

Do you see that? It's not an issue of IQ or brilliance or luck or odds, but of mere exposure.

Most of you reading here, are children of parents who worked at jobs. And we're in a society where this is the cultural norm. Familiarity and expectation rule!

But now back to the opening analogy here. Wouldn't you love to have that bold faced confirmation of the desires in your heart or the pain in your soul? A stone tablet of ten commandments from the sky?

You're probably NOT going to get that. But if you did, what else can we assume will still happen:

• You'd still have hardship and trial
• You'd probably have an overwhelming, seemingly fatal reality to deter you (think Moses and the Red Sea and no food and no water)
• You'd encounter risk
• You would make bad decisions and choices along the way
• You'd be persecuted for what you believed you should do

We instinctively and inherently expect that if God (or anyone we esteem) confirms a decision we are contemplating, that things should just 'work out.'

They don't. For you believers, go read your Bible and find anyone that God called who just had easy sailing. In truth, if we pay attention to those who DID answer God's call, it scares us. Easier to stay put and accept what the world says...work all day, pay your bills, stay safe, stay under the radar and...exist.

The fact that you have pain in your circumstances, and desires in your heart…demand that you pay attention to them.

Most of your fears and concerns about addressing the pains and/or desires you feel are based around how it may affect your comfort and security. Be honest.

Letting that rule is letting our culture be your God. Jesus Christ (or any leader of historical worth if you believe otherwise) said be responsible about your duties here on earth. I don't want anyone quitting their job, defaulting on their bills and harming their family. God has specific callings for His people that has little to do with avoiding risk, and everything to do with fulfilling His purpose.

Which just leaves the question to you. Do you believe you are right where you're supposed to be, living purposefully and intentionally and paying attention to the stirrings within you? If not, quit finding reasons to stay put. That...will never end. Nothing and no one will show up on your doorstep and give you all the confirmation and confidence and certainty you'd like to have.

And if you are quick to question those 'stirrings', the way to filter their merit is through other people. Not people with agendas and biases toward you either. Think 'mentors' and not 'family.' Wise counsel is Biblical wisdom, and even cultural wisdom. No man is an island unto himself.

I should know. I tried and drowned. Thank goodness for resurrection.

Your thoughts?

Comments

[joe]

Solid thoughtful post. Resurrection can be painful. Sometimes it's just as painful to be out on the self employed road and realize the road is turning into a bare path with rapidly declining hopes of enough money to live on.

Not even enough to have people be interested in hiring you. That IS painful

Thanks again.

[Ivan Bickett]

And once you've got the feeling / belief that God did tell you to go for it, check out: Galatians 1:16-17

"...my immediate response was not to consult any human being. 17 I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus."

Once you hear His voice you need to go forth and DO IT!

[Gene Wright]

I am truly amazed at how and when I see God working in my life. It is never the knock on the door, a burning bush or a lighting strike. It has always been a timely comment from a friend, a sermon that hits home, and even a topic on an internet blog/web page.

Thank You
Gene Wright

[Jim Henry]

Hey man, you just described my journey for the past 20 years. The call came in Jan/Feb of 1991. Just now seeing fruit. So glad I didn't give up.

[Scott McClymonds]

My wife and I answered the call 5 yrs ago with a Christian preschool, on fire for the Lord, anxious to save souls, build a Christian team, create an alternative education system for the culture, and start making enough money to transition me out of my full time job. Wow, were we naive. We have learned a lot, lost a ton of money, have a sensationally effective school from an academic, employee, and spiritual standpoint, but a total disappointment financially. We thought we saw God opening so many doors for us to get into this business, but now we are at the end with 20 days of operation left until our lease runs out. The Lord is shutting this door, but using the experience to open up others. This experience has let me write a book, teach an entrepeneurs class to the kids in my church, and start a fitness ministry with the kids in my church business class.

My long winded point (sorry) to Kevin's outstanding post is that God does not guarantee success in every endeavor, but He still wants us to get the experience to prepare us for the next thing He has for us. My wife and I used to say how much we regretted getting into this business. Now we have no regrets. Sure, we wish we hadn't lost so much money, but we have much more wisdom and skill now than before. We just thank God He let us have the experience, brought us through the hardships, and is now letting us land the plane smoothly with no engines on fire and ready for the next assignment.

Thanks for a great post Kevin.

[Chris Sutton]

"the way to filter their merit is through other people."

Looking forward to some filtering next weekend.

[Jeff Batson]

As usual Kevin, A very thought provoking and challenging post. As one who is still trying to find a job for the time being, so that I can care for my family, pay the bills, etc., I am faced every day with decisions. This has been a difficult season, to say the least, but I have made some good decisions and some bad decisions. I find that the more I experience difficulty and hardship though, the desire and stirrings from within, continue to surface again and in a sense, begin calling out to me even more. I'm looking forward to overcoming my present challenges soon by finding a job for now, so that I can support my family first, then get back on track with my free agent pursuit as soon as possible.

[Goris]

Good Post Kevin! I love reading your post of self-employment and then asking do we love God for who he is or for his benefits of being self employed?

Actually you can be have entrepreneurial spirit while being employed under some one else. I haven't made up my mind which is more difficult, both situations can be very rewarding and both can be very difficult.

The question I keep asking myself is, who am I working for.....my Lord and Saviour is the answer!

[Keith Hruby]

Kevin,

Great post brother. I'm with you: God has a calling & a mission for each and every one of us. The clues to figuring out the path He is leading us to is in our heart's desires and longings. My difficulty has been listening to my heart and blocking out (or at least minimizing) the siren call of riches and other things the world says is important. Not that I don't believe one can become wealthy doing what one loves and is called to do. Rather, I have been putting the results (wealth) before the source of those results (my calling and the specific vocation/business idea I am searching for).

Woe to us if we do not heed God's calling for us! I am really looking forward to next weekend and having all you people there to help me amplify the whispers in my heart.

[Kevin Miller]

Joe - sounds like you're in some hard circumstances...tell me more?

[Kevin Miller]

Good words. Of course the big thing that people come back with is, "How do you know you really heard God?" But did they truly hear God telling them to be or stay where they are now? And the real kicker is this one..."What if we did NOT hear God, or hear him correctly. Does He then abandon us to our own fate, or is He STILL with us, caring for us, aiding us?!"

[Kevin Miller]

Gene - I hear you and agree, though I sure would like that burning bush.
Amazing how many folks won't move, waiting for the burning bush and
ignoring or not even seeking the 'whisperings.'

[Kevin Miller]

Jim - I'm so glad you didn't give up either. If you hadn't perservered
and believed, you wouldn't be seeing the fruit you are now, and so many
people would have missed God working through you, for them.

[Kevin Miller]

Scott - Wow brother, thank you for this. You've inspired me, truly.
Thanks for the wise words and honest testimony. I have a history behind
me of hearing God, running ahead and not waiting for Him, having His
grace abound, but suffering consequences due to some poor judgment. He
spoke, I heard, but we can still mess up. But as we're truly seeking
Him, He sure does redeem. Eager to hear your story continue Scott.

[Kevin Miller]

Absolutely, for myself as well.

[Kevin Miller]

Jeff - I know it's been a challenge for you thus far. If I make any
point here, it's that I don't believe we can ever have full certainty in
following the Lord. We desperately want it, but that would defeat the
purpose of faith and refining, eh? We can just be certain that He won't
abandon us, and that should help the pressure we feel as we make
decisions.

[Kevin Miller]

Goris - who you work for...amen. As for which is more difficult, working
for someone else or yourself, I think it's the wrong question. It's
judging the difficulty that derails so many people, when instead I
desire for you to figure out what you feel called to overall in your
life, then discern what circumstances will best help you fulfill that
calling. I don't know that God cares whether I'm self-employed or not.
He's given me personal convictions, in which I see traditional
employment keeping me from fulfilling.

[Kevin Miller]

Keith - priorities are so important, and can make or break us. Yes,
wealth is at the bottom of my focus. Though I do desire it, as it gives
us more from which to bless others with!

[Carolyne]

I really like the thought, if I am following God's will and things are seemingly too smooth, then am I really following His will? Easy is NOT one of His character traits, sometimes simple, but easy leads to a slew a negatives like laziness. When I am tenaciously striving down His path and I feel the giant boulder so close it is blowing at my heels, it would be a wonderful to remember that my trial IS part of His plan and working for His good. I really do tell myself that difficult is good, when it is His difficult and not ours. Not much of any worth comes from easy.
Thanks for stirring me up again,
Carolyne

[Becky L]

Where to start?! What a great and stirring post! (what I have come to expect from you!) I'm a single mother of a 12 y.o. boy that hates school and wants to be homeschooled. I would love to work from home but put that off because of the security of a job/steady income and the expense of trying to start up my own business. It gets overwhelming for me trying to take it all on. Sadly, this just makes me take no action which I know is wrong. I don't want to be in the same spot 5 yrs from now! I did seek godly counsel and was told "if a man doesn't work, he shouldn't eat". I think he thought I was going to quit my job to sit home doing nothing but collecting food stamps. That is not my intent. I want a better life for both my son and myself and feel called to do something else besides working 2 part time jobs. I need confidence and motivation and a solid accountability partner. It is scary for me to try this without a financial nest egg to rely on. And I know it isn't all about money and that is not my main goal (riches) but, I wouldn't mind it either as it would take the pressure off of me. It is that leap of faith, trusting Him but at the same time not neglecting the job the Lord has entrusted to me (raising my son). Thanks for your work and inspiration! I look forward to attending one of your events! Please pray that I'll get this all figured out!

[Guy Madison]

Hey Kevin, what a great post! Don't any of us entrepreneur types wish it would happen that way...but as you said, it seldom does! It is usually this gnawing never ending desire to be doing your own thing. To feel that you do have more control over your destiny. Either way, thanks for your words of encouragement.

I have such a hunger to be totally self employed again, that I can hardly stand still a times. I long to be serving people in a full-time capacity rather than part-time not only through my business and career coaching, but through my frustrated entrepreneur seminars as well as public speaking. Being 55 years old, I have significant and meaningful life and business experiences that I know are beneficial to people who long to find the work they love whether through a new career or actually creating it by "going it solo".

Sometimes, I feel it is so hopeless that I wonder if I will ever see the dream come true. The people at my job have so much faith in me and have blessed me with so much opportunity that I wonder whether or not I am betraying them and is it where God really wants me to be. It is not a bad place and I make great money and have great freedom. As jobs go, it doesn't get much better. HOWEVER, it is NOT where I want to be and in a field I have never been passionate about. I took the job 4 years ago because it was a steady paycheck at a time I was racking up debt in business for myself (not career coaching) and not meeting ends sufficiently. I know that my job has been a blessing to me and, before God, I would not want to sound ungrateful. However, I have been self-employed 28 out of 34 years of my adult working life and that is when I was happiest...I always loved it. My father and my father-in-law both have been and are self-employed...to your testimony. Going back 4 years, I truly believe I would have made a different choice had I known people like you, your dad (met your folks at last May's "Coaching with Excellence" seminar at The Sanctuary), Kent Julian, Justin Lukasavige, etc. I am hoping to get to know you guys much better over the years to come!
Thanks for fighting for and promoting the cause!
Guy

[Yvonne C. Hyde]

Hi Scott, loved your post. Just wondering if looking back, you still think it was God's will for you to open the Christian preschool?

[Yvonne C. Hyde]

Hi Kevin, I love this post. And I would love for this to happen for me, but I wouldn't be satisfied with the direction to go. I would need specifics about what type of business and how to go about it. Wouldn't that be great? I think that this is what I have been waiting for. And your post has made me see how ridiculous I've been.

[Ivan Bickett]

Gene, I couldn't agree more with your post. I have had several conversations lately where I related how God is speaking to me through His word, or a sermon, or something said to me. I have been countered several times by people asking how I can be certain since I was not blinded by God's radiance nor did a bush catch on fire and speak. I believe that God is not limited in how he can communicate with us. But it's up to us (with the help of the Holy Spirit) to realize and understand what He is saying.

[Kevin Miller]

Carolyne - our logic just won't naturally accept that if something is to BE...it should just work out. We just have to understand and believe that when we are truly following the Lord's will for our lives, we WILL have big challenges, obstacles, frustrations and pains. Hard for us to cope with. Of course the other difficulty is we DO have to look at those trials and not just assume we are doing thing right. Which brings us to the other truth...the only way we can discern if we are in God's will and deal with the challenges, is to have wise counsel in our lives. Kevin

[Kevin Miller]

Becky - this is just a blessed testimony. The real application. I was
like your son, I loathed school. I wish homeschooling had been more well
known when I was that age. My much younger brother and sister got to do
that. So I feel that pain. My wife homeschools our four oldest kids and
we adore the lifestyle. So for you...the most affordable and efficient
resource I know of on this earth for pursuing self-employment while
working jobs to pay the bills...is FreeAgentAcademy. It just truly is.
If you could budget $250 for two months and give it a run, I think
you'll be amazed at what it does for your life. We'll set you up with a
accountability partners, even as you have the whole membership. Make the
goal for now, just to earn some money on the side doing something you
truly are passionate about...and grow from there.

[Kevin Miller]

Guy - really great to read all this, and I'm just blessed you are
finding value in my posts. Hey, I did so much wrong over my life of
self-employment. I won't say I've 'arrived,' but it's a different world
today. Most of our 'serial entrepreneurship' comes from never landing on
what we love to do most...and then having counsel for wisdom and help
in our weak areas. I'd be honored to have you look at joining us Guy.

[Kevin Miller]

Absolutely...and also seeking counsel. God seems to dole out His greatest wisdom and counsel and clarity through His people.

[Ivan Bickett]

Kevin, Gene, if yall want to hear a powerful message that concides with this (one of the points is getting counsel from others) listen to the following sermon by Rick Warren.

http://www.saddleback.com/mc/m/8b3e/audio/

Kevin, I think this message is perfect for FAA.

[Kim]

I am loving this discussion and could quite possibly sit in conversation for many hours replying to everyone on here and I haven't even listened to the replay of todays recording today.

Two great resources to go along with the discussion:
I have been listening to Gary Barkalows audiobook "Its your call" and then heard this song the other day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sb4RrF9VxI

I had a thought this morning ....
God can't be put in a box so why would we want to put ourselves in a box?

I have boughts of what some would call a personality disorder, others call it weirdness, my son called it my Mad Hatter moments today, while I just say Status quo ?!?! sorry me no speak that language .. ..
I work for someone else!

Great Discussion Kevin! I am a huge supporter of FAA!

Kim

[Kevin Miller]

Kim - reading your comment inspires me...thank you so much...I can feel your passion here!

[Scott McClymonds]

Great question Yvonne. We were inspired to do this from a missions conference, did a ton of research, bought and sold some property to raise capital, and all doors seemed open. Prayed a lot throughout. Made a lot of 1st time biz owner mistakes, but smoothed out the operation at the end so we never had to be there.

All in all I think it was God's will for us to do it. Too many open doors and answers to prayer along the way to be otherwise. However, think of Apostle Paul...got booted out of a lot of places even though it was God's will for him to be there. No guarantees of success. Big lesson learned. You can still be in God's will even if you fail from the world's standpoint. In our case a lot of kids and families still were introduced.

I wrote a book about this using Nehemiah as a guide. it is at www.nehemiahworldwide.com.

[Tina]

Coming in late in the conversation, but just saw this post.

I know that walking with God doesn't always guarantee an obstacle-free path. In fact, He said there will be tribulation and trials. However, the Word does say that He prospers the work of our hands, that the worker is worthy of his wages, He delights in the prosperity of His servants, that we are blessed in our work, that He gives us power to get wealth, that we are to be self-sufficient having all we need and more to be equipped for every good work...etc.

Since God is never wrong, it's either the devil or our own selves that is. As Kevin said above, how does one know for sure that it was God speaking? The devil can masquerade to trick us. Our own emotions can affect what we hear. We can blow it.

I have been in a business for four years that the way I got started was almost miraculous! As Scott said above, all the doors were open, confirmations abounded and I knew that I knew it was God! It was totally answered prayer! I have had hinderance upon hinderance, have dealt with the most integity-lacking folks I've ever met, been lied to, stolen from and have lost out on almost every deal I've brought to the table.

Since His word is clear that He prospers our work, if we ain't prospering something is amiss! Yes, there is a point of persistence and perseverance, but there also comes a time that one must say "I believe I missed it" and fish or cut bait.

I'm in that valley of decision now. Some say I entered the business at the worst time in our economy since the Depression and to hang in til it turns around. Others say all the failure to prosper is a sign I'm not to be doing this business.

If I decide to walk away and do something new, I would have to say that, even though all the signs and signals seemed right, somehow I missed Him. If there isn't any fruit, the tree must be the wrong one, as a good tree cannot bear bad fruit. Matthew 7:17

Keep the faith!