Recently I’ve had several conversations with friends who want to start their own business. For some, they don’t feel like the time is right. Others have already started businesses, and they’re full of life as they talk about even newer ones! Sometimes it feels like God is opening up great opportunities, but we are still hesitant to take that leap of faith.
There’s a story in scripture where Jesus walks on the water. The text says, “But Jesus immediately said to them, ‘Take courage, it is I. Don’t be afraid.'” And Peter says, ‘Lord, if it is you tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You have little faith.’ He said, ‘Why did you doubt?’ And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.”
“Take courage, it is I. Don’t be afraid.” Is there a business idea that God is putting on your heart? Is there something that the world needs that God wants you to create? I tell a lot of my friends, “The only difference between you and Peter is Peter got out of the boat.” So, he says, “Lord, if it’s you tell me to come to you on the water.” Guess what? If you’ve got a business idea, if you’ve got something that you feel like you’re being called to, you can ask him, “God, is it you?”
“It is I. Take courage. Don’t be afraid. Come on.” I remember how scared I was going out on my own. If you get out of the boat, even if God has called you, even if you’re certain, there’s going to be times you’ll feel the waves crashing around you. Peter saw the wind, he was afraid, and he began to sink. He cried out, “Lord, save me.” And God was there. Jesus reached out his hand.
When is there going to be a better time? When is there going to be a better opportunity? Why do you hesitate? What if when you step out of the boat, God has something better? And what if when you step out of the boat, even if the storms are all around you, God’s going to offer you his hand and he’s going to pick you up?
And what if everything that you’ve been thinking and dreaming of is just a simple act of saying, “I’m going to get out. I’m going to trust. I’m just going to see what happens.” Here’s the one thing I know, through all the ups and the downs of owning a business for 12 plus years, I’ve never regretted it. God has been faithful all along the way. That’s the word for today: God will show up.
God wants to do it with you. He wants to walk hand in hand with you and go create something new, and he’s just waiting on you to get out. Go do what God is calling you to do. Stop hesitating. If you need more courage, reach out, talk to anyone else you know who owns a business. This is a great time to be a business owner. But more than anything, it is a great time to walk hand in hand with God to create something completely brand new. It’s time to get out of the boat.