Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Romans 12:2

 

How comfortable are you talking to God about business?

 

Do you feel 100% at ease, regularly asking God for his guidance on employee turnover, supply chain disruptions, and marketing ROI?

 

You can be honest.

 

It can feel awkward, asking God to weigh in on your worldly concerns at such a granular level. Through bringing up “business” in your prayers, you may even feel like you’re misusing God’s attention.

 

You’re not. Business is how you pour forth your God-given talents. Of course God wants to be included in how you optimize that pouring forth!

 

In fact, God takes great joy in helping you make decisions about how to run your team, division, and company. Like any loving parent, he finds your thinking and reasoning fascinating, and wants to support you to stretch your mind even further, the better to manifest his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

 

The question is, how can you invite God to do this?

 

You can start with how you pray. Specifically, you can begin using four targeted prayers that will support you to open up to God’s presence in your decision making process.

 

Over the years as a leader, and today as a coach and consultant, I personally use these prayers to develop a consistent prayer practice. They work for me. They relax my mind and heart, so that I can be more receptive to the bigger picture (the biggest picture!) and make decisions that serve the well being of others, long term. Regardless of the immediate business pressures I face.

 

In this post and the next few weeks’ posts, I’ll share these prayers with you, so that you may use them to develop your own regular, detailed talks with God. Here is the first:

 

The Prayer of Receptiveness for Servant Leaders

 

Dear Lord,

 

My desire is to consistently welcome your guidance into how I lead. I want your presence and perfect wisdom to illuminate my thoughts, decisions, and actions. I know that this illumination is possible, and through welcoming it, I will be a more effective and joyous servant leader.

 

Yet right now, God, I feel separated from you. My mind and spirit feel tight with tension and stress. Despite my best intensions, I’m finding it hard to slow down long enough to talk to you, Lord, and ask for your guidance. I’m feeling the weight of my leadership position, and intense pressure to figure all the answers on my own.

 

I don’t want to lead on my own; without true confidence or clarity.

 

I want and need to be led by you, God, and to lead others according to your will.

 

In this, Lord, I welcome your guidance. I open up my heart to you. I open up to the renewing of my mind through your grace and wisdom.

 

[Now, talk to God about the specific business challenge you’re facing, in detail. Set context, and be specific. Lay out the full narrative of your challenge at God’s feet.

 

Yes, he already knows what’s going on in your life. But to guide you effectively, he needs you to gain perspective and clarity; things you can only develop through exploring your challenge out loud, from all angles.

 

When you do this – when you engage your problem together with God — you will find that you begin to relax. Your body will shed tension and stress. Your mind will ease back open. The solution that is most aligned with your commitment to servant leadership will incrementally become clear to you.]

 

Lord, thank you for your infinite patience, compassion, and love. Thank you for walking with me, step by step, through this leadership challenge.

 

I’ll talk to you again tomorrow!

 

In your name I pray,

Amen

 

I know I’ve been talking a lot about prayer lately. There is a reason for this. Prayer is the cornerstone of humility. And humility is a trait that you must develop to be an effective servant leader.

 

Humble yourself. Invite God in to your decision making process. Let yourself off the hook from needing to have all the answers without God’s help!

 

You are a leader of God’s children. Therefore, God’s greatest joy is supporting your mind and heart to expand through prayer.

 

Commit to the Lord whatever you do and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3