Silence Builds Complacency

Imagine if we could feed off the silence and reach out to God rather than try to fill the silence with the white noise of the world. Imagine how much more respect you would have in business if what you said and what you did actually matched. You would have integrity and the trust of the company to grow in new directions. You would be better prepared to move to the next level in your organization. You would be more open to hearing the opinion of others -- in fact you may find yourself surrounding yourself by much smarter people that can provide you wonderful and profitable wisdom.

Transcript:

Welcome to Holy Prophets Radio, a business show that applies God's word to your work. We discuss business basics ranging from starting your own company to complex human resources challenges. Don't forget to check out our complete schedule, archived shows, helpful downloads, and much more at leadingforachange.com/radio. Now get ready to take your company to the next level by applying biblical truths to your work with Holy Prophets Radio, hosted by Bradley Waldrop. Hey, good morning and welcome to the show. Shelley, I know that you're listening. I just want to say thank you for racing off to the station to get things fixed the right way.

I just sent out a message on Facebook. I think it would be really great for us to do a documentary of what it takes to put a show like this on live radio. There are some great, crazy things that happen seemingly every week, and the team here is just amazing. They get through it every single time with minutes to spare. I don’t know how all that happens, but it's really great.

Last week, we had Ann Lazo of Eaglesoars Consulting on the show. We talked about revisiting your mission and vision, and those four concepts to getting your company back on track. You can get all of those archives on our website and YouTube. The website address is holyprophetsradio.com. If you have questions, comments, concerns, or you’re trying to get a hold of a guest of ours, suggest a topic, or recommend a guest, you can email me at bradley@holyprophetsradio.com.

I also wanted to make two other exciting announcements for this week. Next Friday, I am going to be on Atlanta Live, WATC in Atlanta, channel 57, for an interview. I’ll share a bit about my story and what life looks like when you're chased down by God to do different things, and the humbling experiences along the way. If you're interested in seeing that, I would love to have your comments and questions. It will be on at 7 PM on Atlanta Live. You can watch it live on their website. I will post the interview on our website later.

On June 26th, I will be on channel 16 in Greenville, WGGS. We’ll have a similar conversation, but we’ll dive deeper into applying God's word to your work on a daily basis. We’ll discuss what it looks like to live life as a Christian business owner, leader, or follower in an organization.

We also have a new guest scheduled for sometime in July. We might air the interview in July or August, depending on our schedule. We’ll have Terrence Chapman of the Fellowship of Companies for Christ International on the show. The organization includes thousands of companies worldwide, all trying to honor God in their work. We’ll discuss how his organization supports that process and how others are blessed through it.

This week, our show is titled "Silence Builds Complacency: Getting Through the Storm of the Calm." Last week, we talked about the return era when the Israelites came back from Babylon to Israel out of captivity. They had to get back to basics and rebuild. After everything was rebuilt, their life became very simple. They weren’t battling anyone, and things seemed peaceful. There was about a 400-year period between the Old Testament writings and the New Testament writings, known as the silence period or the intertestamental period. There were many political and social happenings, but not much documented word from God.

Where it hits me is that, for those who know me, I’m an adult idolater. My life has been a series of jobs chasing the brass ring, being super successful, and overachieving in many areas. Leadership has been a part of my life since I was a teenager. I enjoy working with leaders and understanding how to lead organizations well and develop trusted leaders. But all of this came through trial and error.

There was a time when I had to have the right car, clothes, job, title, and team. It was all about me and feeling better about who I was. But when faced with new challenges, I struggled with not knowing all the answers. I think many leaders, especially men, live their lives not wanting to be found out. We struggle with who we are and what we don’t know.

In my own experience, each new challenge humbled me. For the first six months in a new job, I figured out where the team was and what needed to be done. Then, I became complacent, and pride took over. I felt I could do more than others and started finding comfort in material things.

The Israelites had a similar experience. They were humbled during their turmoil and looked to God for direction. But after peace came, they became complacent. The religious leaders pretended to have power and lost their biblical perspective. They became self-absorbed, looking to themselves for answers rather than God.

In business, we often follow a cycle of struggle, growth, and complacency. When we become complacent, we shut others out and protect our territory. We need to recognize that God gave us our business and team. We are stewards, and God is the boss.

We need to practice spiritual disciplines to stay grounded. Celebration is one such discipline. We need to pause and thank God for getting us through challenges. Solitude and prayer are also important. Spending time with God keeps us humble and helps us realign with His will.

Servanthood is another key discipline. Serving others, whether inside or outside the organization, helps us focus on what’s important and keeps us humble. Confession is also crucial. Sharing our struggles with trusted friends or colleagues helps us stay accountable.

Finally, we need to renew our minds through God’s word. Spending time in the Bible helps us maintain a biblical perspective and understand that God is the Lord of our lives.

Next week, we will focus on public worship in and by the business. We will discuss Psalms and how business leaders can incorporate worship into their work. If you have any questions, email me at bradley@holyprophets.com or visit our website at holyprophets.com. May God richly bless you and your business. Take care.

Welcome back to Holy Prophets Radio. Before the break, we were talking about the silence era, the period between the Old Testament and the New Testament, and what was happening politically and socially. Leaders and individuals, without an active God in their lives, tend to turn to things that build their own ego and pride, which destroys their integrity.

Let's address these struggles in business. The general business cycle involves startup struggles, growth struggles, and periods of complacency. When leaders become complacent, they stop seeking feedback and protect their territory.

To overcome this, we need to remember that God gave us our business and team. We are stewards, and God is the boss. Practicing spiritual disciplines helps us stay grounded. Celebration, solitude and prayer, servanthood, confession, and renewing our minds through God's word are key practices.

Celebration is recognizing God's power and thanking Him for our achievements. Solitude and prayer involve taking time away from work to listen to God. Servanthood means serving others humbly without seeking accolades. Confession involves sharing our struggles with trusted friends for support and accountability. Renewing our minds through God's word helps us maintain a biblical perspective.

Next week, we will discuss public worship in and by the business. We will talk about Psalms and how business leaders can incorporate worship into their work. If you have any questions, email me at bradley@holyprophets.com or visit our website at holyprophets.com. May God richly bless you and your business. Take care.

May God Richly Bless You and Your Business! We'd be honored if you shared with your crowd.