Dealing With Work Challenges
This past week has been a challenging one professionally as I’ve had to make some important business decisions. A small home-based business is never without challenges! There’s been the temptation to grow too quickly and thereby take on too much at once. There’s been at least some efforts by outside forces to negatively impact the business.
As a result of the first I found myself putting in too many hours in a day. Cash flow became tight due to my not spending enough time on sales. This made it easy to start despairing and worrying.
Fortunately, my spiritual reading includes volume 3 on the life of the founder of Opus Dei. In this volume we read about the challenges St. Josemaria had in growing the Work, especially building the college in Rome. He faced serious financial difficulties, exterior persecution and health problems that were complicated by working without a break. What inspired me was his persistence, constant prayer and what can only be described as supernatural happiness.
By reading and meditating on his life in that time I have been able to put my own circumstances in perspective. I met with my spiritual director this past week who also made me look at what I’m worrying about by describing the worries of this life as “it’s all nothing.” It really is. I’ve always liked to quote this when asked about what I would do if my business fails, “The worst thing that can happen is I’ll have to get a job.”
This doesn’t mean that we don’t have trials and troubles. It does mean that no matter what they are, as long as we sanctify our work we don’t have to worry about the future. It’s hard to accept this without faith, making faith so important to our lives. I firmly believe that even if my business isn’t deemed successful by my peers I will not have ever failed because it’s dedicated to God, for His honor and glory. He gave me talents and I need to use them in His service.