Improper Fundraising: Doing Business God's Way

Awhile back I started a side venture. I didn't pray about it or anything, I just knew it was a good idea. Turns out, God didn't actually love it. He wants me on a very specific path and it just didn't fit in. Even though I knew it could turn a profit, I shut it down. I didn't have peace in my heart until I did.

Another time, I had a business that I knew He'd sanctioned. He'd encouraged me and helped me in it. But there was one part of it that I began charging for that He wanted me to make freely available.

I thought charging for this part made sense and my price was very fair. But I didn't ask Him about it.

Then I had a dream and all I could remember is hearing,"illegal fundraising." I heard it so clearly and woke up knowing exactly what He was talking about.

It didn't make sense to me initially, why He didn't want me to charge. He didn't explain why. But I opened it up. I opened the gate I'd placed that He didn't approve of.

Later, He did explain. There were meant to be two levels to the business: one that was free and open for everyone, and another level that made more products available for those who could pay. The funny thing is, His was was much more lucrative. My way was short-sighted.

I took away two things from that. 1) God thinks about the vulnerable (I knew that, but felt His heart in another way). He gives us gifts and talents, ways to make money, but, in my case, He also thought about those who needed access to the work He gave me to do who didn't have the funds.

If you're running a luxury business, this may not apply to you. There may be a gate that is just fine keeping up. But mine was different and He wanted all people to have access at a certain level. The only way to know is to ask and let Him guide you.

I also learned:

2) God likes business and values our ability to earn an income. He wants to see us prosper and will help us do it well. There have been times when my prices were way too low. When I asked God to increase me, He pointed me toward my own chronic undervaluing. I had to get past what I believed my time was worth, get past fears of making people "angry" or losing clients, and truly see Him as my source so that people-pleasing and fear could lose its grip on me.

I believe He called me charging for something I was meant to give away "illegal" because it was outside of the bounds He wanted to set for my business. He's an architect when it comes to our lives and I threw up a wall that wasn't in His blueprint.

When you consecrate your life to Him, when you're His child, He cares about everything you do.

He set your path before you and wants it to be done well both for you and the people you'll serve- the people He'll reach through you. Even in business.

God won't just bless any idea you have. And just because something "works" doesn't mean He's pleased with it. Ask Him. Calling Jesus Lord is one thing, making Him Lord of every area of your life by being willing to ask Him about everything you do is quite another.

It reminds of when Jesus said, "My sheep know my voice." When you're His, you do things His way knowing His thoughts are higher than your thoughts. His ways are perfect and really are good. He thinks about you, He thinks about others, and wants to bring you on board to make His plans come to fruition.

If you're used to doing things your way or charging ahead without asking, this can be a challenge, but I share how He's gently guided me in this episode of the podcast and how you can get closer to Him. All of this flows out of relationship with Him. Intimacy.

I asked Him for a verse that goes with this and this one immediately came to mind:

"Commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed." -Proverbs 16:3

I recorded about this, sharing more about how He guided me in business and how to stay within His guidelines. He also explained to my why people engage in short-term improper fundraising, the root issue, and how to correct it.

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