Overcoming Fear and Lack of Confidence for the Christian Business Owner

The first time I ran a Facebook ad to my page was almost my last. My page has a variety of subjects, including Jesus, entrepreneurship and my life.  It shocked me to be subject to hatred and mockery from a couple of people.

The bad comments were a minority, way less than 1%, but it sat in my mind and heart as the only thing that happened. To be honest it made me pull back and want to hide, not only my faith but also anything about what I offered.

Learning To Deal With Fear

Fear comes in all different ways. It is the number one way the enemy comes to destabilise and undermine.  We all know this in theory. But in reality our fearful, instinctive reaction takes over unless we can discipline ourselves.

To become what God has designed you to be is the goal.  For that you need to learn to live by the word of God and build up your faith muscles in all circumstances.

You cannot separate yourself from your work or business. It is the whole of you in all you do.

Personal development is great and it’s important that you are growth minded. But, one thing I know, it can never supersede what believing and living by the word of God can do.

How much easier is it to be like everyone else? To live your life and build your business as if you are not a new creature in Christ?  To take the path of least resistance.

It may be easier but Jesus isn’t down that path.

Everything about you, including your business, should pulse with faith.  The wisdom of God gives you a huge advantage now you have with the spirit of God in you.

The challenge to get past fear in business

In working online for over 14 years I’ve walked through a lot of the personal challenges that arise in business. I sabotaged my own success by being afraid of scrutiny. It scared me that people would see that I’m not good enough compared to everyone else. It effected me at all different levels; in what I offered and how I marketed it. Even now, every time I go to do a facebook live, I get the emotion knocking at my heart that says ‘HELLO… nobody cares’. It’s learning how to deal with it that empowers you.

One of my fears was if customers weren’t happy with my products and my services. Learning how to dealing with complaints and returns was tough for me. I had to train myself not to take it personally.

The first time it happened in my online retail store I felt ill. I felt like it I had failed my customer. The return had come due to a fault in the item, it wasn’t even about me. But that’s how that fear comes to niggle at you. It sneaks in at your weak point and makes you focus on yourself.

I had to develop the skills to not make it about me but focus on serving my customers to the best of my ability.

Developing Strength to Overcome

Awareness is your key to breakthrough. The more you’re able to recognise what is happening and stand with authority, the more the overcomer in you will shine through.

Learning to trust God through the successes and mistakes. Not everything you do will work, nor is it the failure you think it is. Awareness helps you step back from the emotion in your business and think.

Let’s consider some of the other ways fear or lack of confidence creeps in.

– not making enough sales,

– making too many sales and not being able to keep up.

– being rejected by people when you put yourself out there to sell or promote your business

– not working hard enough, not doing enough to please everyone

– compared to other people you are inferior and everyone can see it

– your product/service is not perfect

– not sure what God wants so you keep waiting

– scared that you’ll lose something if you’re successful, such as time with your family and friends

– fear of failing if you take a risk

– terrified of looking like an idiot and people judging you

These are only some of what I’ve experienced, I’m sure you can relate.

The dictionary describes fear as:

‘distressing emotions aroused by impending danger, evil, pain etc. with the threat is real or imagined’.

Let’s think about that. Whether the fear is real or imagined it is still a feeling. It actually has power in a physical sense. In fact, the bible tells you it is a ‘spirit of fear’. It comes to rob you of peace and your ability to trust God.

Jesus said some interesting things on this subject. In Luke 12 he talks about handling money, fear and worry.

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?……

 And seek not what you’ll eat or what you’ll drink, neither be of a doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knows that you have need of these things.

 But rather seek the Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not little flock; for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

So you have a choice. You can try to deal with the reality of the fear and the lack of confidence that arises. The ways of human wisdom will tell you to find strategies to overcome and think positive. There are any number of ways to apply your own effort to dealing with it.

Or, you choose to live by the word of God. To not be of a doubtful mind.

Choosing Faith Over Fear

You see, God doesn’t wave his magic wand over you and say ‘boom, here’s a mind that doesn’t doubt’. No. He tells you straight out. ‘Have Faith In God’. He doesn’t say, ‘hope you have faith’, he says ‘neither be of a doubtful mind’.

Do you see the difference?

Why do you think God told Joshua ‘be strong and of good courage’? It was a command, not wishful thinking.

You choose to recognise that as a new creature in Christ things have changed. You have different resources to draw from.  Old things have gone and now the way of the Kingdom of God is open to you.

This is the choice. You either live the old way like everyone else or you seek after the Kingdom of God. This Kingdom where God takes care of you, there is no need to be afraid. You daily and intentionally command yourself to live by faith and not doubt in your mind or your heart. (Luke 24:38)

“Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?

Jesus asked his disciples ‘when the son of man comes, will he find faith in the earth’?

He is talking about this very thing.

Are we living by the word of God, even in our business, or are we just like everyone else?

As fear comes, and you know it will, the best antidote I know is prayer. Prayer of the proclaiming and commanding kind.

Remind yourself of what the bible says. The God that created the heavens and earth, your Saviour, wants you to prosper and do well. He is with you, He has made you an overcomer. No matter what the challenge, you can partner with Him.  You can take action knowing that His has the ability to guide, strengthen and encourage you.

God has not given us a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7

When you fix your mind on faith and doing business supernaturally, you are going to overcome the challenge of fear and confidence.

Your confidence will come from walking with God, even in the times when it feels like you’re alone. How? Because you’ve chosen to live by the word of God and you know He never leaves you. Isn’t that powerful?

Get your eyes off your own performance and ability. It is about you obeying God, doing your best and letting God take care of the rest.

Fear only takes root and has a place when you start looking around at circumstances and yourself. Faith rises up when you hear what God has to say on the matter and you say ‘yes Lord, I believe, all things are possible’.

No more fear for you!