Choosing Joy in Business, Even When You're Depressed
Two clients called me in the same month to cancel their retainers with my agency. Nothing against us, they simply didn't have the budget. I wasn't mad at them, but I was afraid for my company. Losing those retainers meant one of two things: either I wasn't going to pay myself for a couple of months, or I needed to let go of some employees.
I hate to admit it, but this incident set me off into a short period of entrepreneurial depression. As strong as my faith walk is, the depression still hit me hard. I had plans to travel, buy a new car, and make some home improvements. All of those plans got put on pause. Depression settled in even more.
In hindsight, I'll confess this: I realized I was searching for external successes to fill an internal void that the Lord still needed to work on in me. Let me explain.
THE PROBLEM WITH CONNECTING MONEY TO JOY
As Godpreneurs, we're often conditioned to equate our worth and joy with our money and achievements. But there are times, despite our best efforts, when things go awry, and the external markers of "success" waver.
So how do we find this "joy from the Lord," in the midst of entrepreneurial depression?
The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Philippians, gave us the secret. He writes in Philippians 4:4,
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"
Notice, he doesn’t say to rejoice only when things are perfect, but "always". This joy isn't based on external circumstances but stems from a deep, spiritual connection with God. It's not just a fleeting emotion but a profound state of being, rooted in a relationship with Him.
HOW TO FIND JOY
I learned a profound lesson during my last bout with entrepreneurial depression that I want to share with you today: joy is a choice.
Joy is choosing to respond to your external business circumstances with a supernatural inner contentment because you know God is at work on your entrepreneurial journey despite what you might see.
You also must know the difference between pleasure, happiness, and joy.
Pleasure resides in the body
Happiness is a state of mind
Joy emanates from your spirit
This is why you can't eat your way out of depression (body).
This is why you can't think your way out of depression (mind).
The only way to break the chains of entrepreneurial depression is by focusing on feeding the spirit, which will produce the joy of the Lord, and where there is light, darkness can not exist.
The strength to overcome depression is found by focusing on the Lord, knowing He is always with you and dwells within.
As for me, I was able to snap out of my depression by choosing to focus on the joy that emanates from my spirit when I'm spending time with the Lord throughout the business day. I stopped letting the external thing I couldn't control have control over me. Going back to God's word and reading about His goodness caused joy to flow up like a well from within my inner being.
MAKING JOY LAST IN BUSINESS
Today, we have a choice. Instead of letting external marketplace circumstances dictate our happiness, we must dive deep into God's word. Let's meditate on His promises and let His truth anchor us. Let the joy of the Holy Spirit, which is independent of our immediate circumstances, bubble up within us. When challenges come, we must remember that this joy remains unshaken, as it is grounded in the eternal and unwavering love of God.
As a community of Godpreneurs, imagine if we all operated from this inner wellspring of joy. Not only would our businesses thrive, but we'd also create a ripple effect of positivity, hope, and genuine contentment in the entrepreneurial world. Together, by focusing on the Holy Spirit's work within us, we can reshape our approach to challenges and success, anchored in God's unchanging joy.