Are you walking in your purpose in 2024? This past Summer, I got a message from God three times that I was playing too small. He asked me to create a goal so big for myself that only he and he only could make it happen for me. For weeks, I sat with it, trying to figure out what to ask God for, and eventually someone said to me why are you trying to figure this out by yourself. Ask God for help. So, my invitation to all of you this year, is to play bigger. Real success generates impact and influence.
Whenever you are in doubt, look to the Lord. In Psalm 43:17 it says, “The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.” Prayer changes things. The answer may not come right away, but it is always right on time. We serve an impossible God, and he wants us to do impossible things so that more people will come to know him. Here are the 10 Bible verses every small business owner needs for 2024.
1. Habakkuk 2:2 NIV
“Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.”
In the context of business and goal setting, it is significant to document your aspirations and plans for your business. Goals are far more likely to be accomplished if they are written down. If you haven’t revisited your business plan or strategic marketing plan in a long while now is time to be more intentional about your business plans.
2. Luke 1:37 NIV
“God’s grace has saved you because of your faith in Christ. Your salvation doesn’t come from anything you do. It is God’s gift.”
Your success doesn’t define you. Too many business owners use their bank account to define success. We are saved by grace and through our faith in Christ Jesus we are blessed, not by our own efforts or works. God loves, forgives, and saves us not because of who we are or what we do, but because of the work of Christ. His grace is our assurance that we can count on his blessings. We are only successful because it is his will for us.
3. John 14: 27 NIV
“Peace, I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Jesus never wanted us to have life without trouble, but He promised that we could have an untroubled heart even in a troubled life. To have faith, we must practice: patience; perseverance; and persistence. Our goal is to strengthen our faith to become an experienced mature believer and ultimately grow into an unwavering faith steadily holding on to God’s Word.
4. 2 Corinthians 9:8 NIV
“And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
The LORD desires to do for us beyond our highest expectations. Think about counting grains of sand or stars in the sky, as God asked Abram to do. There were too many to count. That’s how God wants to bless us. When you bless others, God will bless you abundantly.
5. Isaiah 26:3-4 NIV
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the rock eternal.”
When we are faithful, God will reward us. We must surrender to God’s plan for us. God requires obedience to deliver promises. Know what God says about how he’s going to move in our lives. Follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit until you see the promise comes to pass. Sometimes the way God gives us a promise is outside of our comfort zone, and we must rise up in our faith to recognize it and claim it. And when your hope becomes your reality, don’t forget to thank God for being a promise keeper.
6. Colossians 3:12 NIV
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”
When we are grounded in God’s word, we should call on that daily to set our intentions for each day. The verse is about what it means to set your mind on things above, enabling us to experience the true joy the Father wants to lavish on us. When I think about this, I think of self-care. Don’t start each day in a race. Taking five minutes at the start of each day to commune with God to center yourself. This will prepare you for anything that comes at you throughout the business day. Ask God for discernment over any major decisions that you may be thinking about and be patient enough to wait on the answer.
7. Matthew 21:22 NIV
“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
Jesus specifically tells the disciples they will receive anything they ask—but only if they have faith. This means trust in God and His power to do what He wants to do. It also means an alignment with the will of God—it does not mean using Christ like your cable remote. Prayers are not answered on demand. His will is what’s best for us.
8. Ephesians 2: 8-9 NIV
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
No matter what we are going through right now, no matter how impossible the situation may seem, no matter how helpless or hopeless we may feel, we should remember this, NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD. He is in the blessing business and does his best work in valley seasons.
9. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT)
“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God.”
Burnout is common with small business owners. Running a business is hard, it can be draining at times. You can wake up on a Tuesday hoping it is Friday. This world will try to break us. We may bend, but by God’s strength we will not break or be shattered. When you feel stressed, I encourage you to open your Bible and meditate on God’s perfect peace, hope, and comfort. There are great verses of encouragement in the books of Romans, Isaiah, Psalms, and Matthew to lean on.
10. Psalms 37:25 (KJV)
“I have been young, and now am old; Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.”
This was my father’s favorite Bible verse. He used to say it to me all time as a child. He used it to remind me of the prayers that other people (in our case our grandmothers) prayed over my brothers and I, to keep us from hurt, harm or danger. I am grateful for the reminder of the power of other people’s prayers.
I pray for God’s blessing over your life and your business this year. Remember, faith and prayer are key ingredients to access the full power of God. He loves us and wants us to prosper. Always try to be an example of God’s love and light.
