Thanksgiving is coming up very soon and I love this time of the year! It is a time when we are reminded to simply give thanks for all the good things in our lives. As believers, it is the time where we celebrate the love of God and all He has given us because of that love.
For the Kingdom Business Leader, this heart of thanksgiving is vitally important. Not only is it the right thing to do since God has blessed everyone of us, but practically it is a wise and effective thing to do. Why? Let’s consider a few reasons:
- The life of an entrepreneur is a walk of faith and there is nothing that builds our faith more than rehearsing what God has done and is doing for us right now. In the Psalms when David was feeling down and discouraged, he encouraged himself by bringing back to mind all of God’s blessings. I love the phrase he uses in Psalm 103, “… and forget not all His benefits” or as the NLT puts it, “… may I never forget the good things He does for me.”
- It is a chance to remember that things are not as bad as we think they are or are better than we had thought. When we take an extended time to think about all the good things in our lives, the outcome is an inevitable realization that there really are good things going on. Many times, in business, we focus on the problems, the challenges, and what could be better. The discipline of thanksgiving turns that around to the positive as we focus on the bright spots in our lives.
- The cardinal sin of many entrepreneurs is built into the myth of the self made man. It is easy to begin to think that WE are the reason for the success of our enterprise–that our brains and ingenuity is what made it all possible. The scripture makes it clear that this kind of pride is vital to avoid. We are told, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” The giving of thanks keeps us where we need to be–on the humble, receiving the grace side of the equation. We all need God’s grace, His favor, and need to avoid at all costs being opposed by God. Being thankful people keeps us there.
Let’s take more than a day. Let’s take this whole month to establish a lifestyle of giving thanks. Not only will it make us better kingdom business owners and leaders, it will make us better spouses, parents, and friends.
If you have not completed the BE Certificate training, now is the time to sign up for a Biblical Entrepreneurship Class. HERE is the page with our online options.
– posted by Randall Sanford