I’ve been reflecting on the idea that I often ask binary questions that end up limiting my thinking to binary outcomes; i.e., a yes or a no answer. For example, I might ask, should I buy this thing or that thing or should I wait until tomorrow to do this or do it today? As business owners, we’re often faced with situations that cause us to think with a binary mindset and expect a binary response.
One of the problems we run into with these sorts of yes/no questions is that there’s no margin for God to speak to us and show us a different way to proceed. In practice we often rely on our own experience, expertise, and some good counsel from well meaning business associates. In the midst of that, sometimes it’s hard to discern what God has to say about the matter, especially when we feel pressed against a deadline.
What I’m learning is that leaving decision making to a binary outcome removes God from doing the work in my life that He really wants to do. If you think about it, God already has the answer to whatever problems life and business can throw at you or I. Should I change this price? Should I make that hire? Should I agree to this contract? Whatever the question is before you, it already has an answer. Our problem is rooted in trying to get the answer in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of emotional energy expenditure. It’s a set up for failure because we’ve short-changed God from taking us through a process of what He’s trying to show us and this only comes through an interdependent relationship with Him trusting that the issue isn’t getting the solution but the process of walking with Him as He reveals that solution. But what does this look like practically? I will discuss this in my next post.
Charles Eapen
Principal Chair
