I am in an experiment to show myself a person can put God first, seek first his kingdom, and spend time with God daily. The experiment seeks to show if a person does put God first then not only will a crazy job and life not fall apart- it will thrive.
The last year I was in direct sales, before I moved into sales management was 2000. I was in a new group that year and our management was trying to figure it all out. My quota was enormous as I was soon to find out. The economy was still ok and I was covering the State of New Jersey at the time. As we were coming down to the last 2 weeks of the quarter I was dying. I was to end the quarter at, if I remember correctly, 34% of quota. Tough situation to be in as a sales person in a new group-new role because you can easily be put on a performance plan and eventually fired for that level of attainment in technology sales. In addition, you won't make any money at 34% of your quota.
I had a modest order come in with 2 weeks to go in the quarter and I made the decision to hold the order and not process it until the new quarter started. My reasoning was because my quota was so high the order wouldn't even move the needle and since my quota was unfair- save it for the next quarter and hope for a better quota. I held the order by working with a reseller who delayed processing.
I've regretted this for 11 years now and there are only perhaps 4 people on the planet I've told until now. I can remember the company name, the amount of the deal, the name of the reseller, the reseller rep, and as I mentioned- my final quarterly attainment that quarter. It was the first and last time I've held an order. Holding an order in sales is very dishonest. In sales you should always fight to the last to get every order in. Your company counts on you to push and scrap for every order of any size. I was selfish and vindictive because my quota was too high. I was looking out for myself and putting my interests first. I justified my behavior but it was short-sighted, wrong, dishonorable, it did not reflect any leadership- and it betrayed Christ. I WAS a Christian at the time.
The beginning of the next month began the beginnings of my guilt. I turned the order in right away but nothing could assuage my guilt. I made a decision the beginning of the next quarter that I would stop being selfish, stop putting my interests first, and stop manipulating my job. I asked God to forgive my cheating and lying and I made a watershed decision that has changed my life since that time.
I asked God to be my business partner. I asked God to be a part of everything about my job, my career, and all the details of my daily life. I asked God to help me to be honest- not just to avoid guilt - but because I trust Him. I have lived an imperfect business life since that day and have failed plenty but I continue to ask God to be my business partner and he has taught me so much about relating what I read in the Bible to the business world. He has taught me to trust in Him. He's taught me its ok to set aside pride and admit I've made a mistake. He's taught me to look out for other people.
The neat thing was my little prayer of asking for forgiveness, asking God to help me to live a pure life in business, and asking Him to be my business partner was all I did. But God listens to prayer - and HE began the process of changing my life from there. It wasn't about me being a good guy - it was about me being a BAD guy but getting a GOOD God involved.
There have been many lessons and God is involved daily. I have so much to learn and I still often feel like I don't know what I am doing in business. But I have a business partner who is honest, who is wise, who wants to be involved, and wants to be the Lord of my life. All I could do is ask for His help and partnership and he took me in and agreed to it. Jesus said, "whoever comes to me I will in no way cast off" (my paraphrase). I did a really bad thing- but God turned it into a life-changing business partnership and an 11 year learning and growth process.
What do you have that you did wrong that you can turn to God? Do you have guilt about something that is plaguing you? What if you turned that failure into a request for forgiveness and committed your life to God? What if you asked the Lord to own your life and be a partner with you? If He is made the Lord- He can turn it around and you will be amazed as you watch him slowly transform both you- and your situation.
Let's GO God!
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