How do I find peace with God?

Ralph Estep Jr
00:00:00

Have you ever laid awake at night, you know, staring at that ceiling? You're feeling a gnawing emptiness that no amount of money can fill.

Maybe you've achieved what the world would call success, but inside, there's this deep void. So deep it feels like it might just swallow you whole. Well, today we're diving into a soul stirring question that could transform your life.

How do I find peace with God? Stay with me because the story I'm about to share might be the answer you've been searching for.

Podcast Announcer
00:00:31

In a world where crushing debt keeps you trapped, where living paycheck to paycheck has become your new normal, and where the dream of retirement seems impossibly out of reach, there's hope. Join financial evangelist Ralph Estep Jr. A man who's walked through the fire of financial failure and emerged stronger on the other side.

Welcome to Ask Ralph, the show where real world experience meets biblical truth. To break the bondage of financial despair.

Get ready to take control of your money, break free from the financial stress and align your resources with God's purpose for your life. This is Ask Ralph with Ralph Estep Jr.

Ralph Estep Jr
00:01:13

You know those moments when everything in life looks perfect on paper, but something still feels missing? Well, that's exactly what I'm talking about today.

And I've got a powerful story of transformation coming up that might just mirror the very journey you're on as well. You're going to hear how one successful business owner discovered that seven figure revenues couldn't fill his spiritual void.

And once I talk about that, I'm going to share some practical action steps that blend sound financial principles with biblical wisdom. And listen, I'm somebody who's walked both this financial and spiritual path. So I completely understand the challenges you're facing.

Whether you're running a small business, maybe you're managing household finances, or you're just trying to make sense of it all. You are in the right place. Today's episode is going to give you concrete steps to find peace with God while maintaining your financial stability.

You're going to learn how spiritual peace can transform your approach to money, to business, and to life's decisions.

Now, if you missed yesterday's show, we talked all about what is a 1099, who needs to prepare and send them and how do you handle it if you receive one? So check it out if you missed it. That was a great discussion we had on our live show about 1099s and we also handled a few other listeners questions.

Well, let me share a heartfelt message that might just resonate with you today. And I received this one and it stopped me in my tracks. And this one comes to us from Michael in Tennessee. And this is what he wrote.

He said, Dear Ralph, it's 2:47am and I'm sitting in my home office. I'm surrounded by success, but I'm drowning in emptiness. On my desk there's a Frame Entrepreneur of the Year award.

My business just crossed $2 million in revenue and my investment portfolio is stronger than ever. But none of it matters anymore. Last night, my six year old daughter asked me why I always look sad, even when I smile. That broke me, Ralph.

I've mastered spreadsheets and profit margins, but I can't remember the last time I felt truly at peace. I've tried everything the world offers. Meditation apps, executive coaching, even a $25,000 personal development retreat.

But this void just keeps growing deeper. My wife suggested I listen to your show and something about your message about aligning finances with fate caught my attention.

I am desperate to find real peace with God, but I don't even know where to start. How can I find that peace everyone talks about? How do I stop feeling like I'm just going through the motions of success? Well, my soul is bankrupt.

Now listen, I know this isn't your typical financial question, but I have a feeling you'll understand. The money's good, Ralph, but I'm tired of feeling empty inside. Please help Michael.

Now, Michael, first of all, thank you for your message and it deeply resonates with me. And I know many of you listening right now are nodding your heads and you're going, I.

I feel that same emptiness because I felt that emptiness too, Michael. Well, let me share a story about my friend Dave that might help you see, there is hope, Michael.

There is hope for finding that peace that you're seeking. Well, let me tell you about my friend David. It's a story that still brings tears to my eyes when I share it. So picture this.

It's 3am on a cold November morning and David sitting in his corner office on the 23rd floor. The city lights twinkling below the stars. His marketing agency.

Awards line the walls, but they might as well have been shadows for all the joy they bring him. And I remember that night, everything changed. David had just lost his biggest client, a 1.2 million dollar account. But that wasn't what broke him.

It was finding his 8 year old son's drawing on his desk. And I remember him telling me this story. And this is what he said. He said, Ralph, it was a simple crayon sketch of my family.

And what his son wrote shook him. It said, I miss you, Daddy. And I remember the next day, David called me, his voice cracking, hands shaking so badly he could barely hold the phone.

He said, Ralph, I've built this empire everyone admires. But I can't even remember the last time I played catch with my son.

I've been so focused on examining the values of my business that I forgot to examine the values of my life. Last night I found myself standing on this balcony looking down. For a moment I thought about, well, you know, where he was going with that.

He couldn't even finish his sentence. He was in absolute tears. But he didn't need to. That night, we talked for hours. And how success without purpose is just expensive emptiness.

See, David had mastered the art of inspiring his clients, but he'd lost the ability to inspire himself. His spiritual tank was running on empty, and all the profit margins in the world couldn't fill it.

So through tears, prayer, and an honest conversation, David began to understand that true entrepreneurial purpose isn't just about financial metrics. It's about aligning your business with your deepest values and faith. And we worked together to implement daily spiritual practices.

We created space for silence, and more importantly, we created time for reflection amidst the chaos of business life. And I'd love to tell you that the transformation was overnight. But the transformation wasn't overnight, but it was profound.

David started attending a weekly prayer group with other Christian entrepreneurs. He structured his business hours to be home for dinner with his family. He told me, Ralph, he said, that's important to me.

But most importantly, he began seeing his business as a ministry, a way to serve others rather than just serve himself. Today, David's story has a different ending. Yes, his agency still faces challenges. That's part of business.

Anybody who is in business, like you, me, whoever's in business, we understand there are challenges. But the truth is now when stress hits, instead of heading to that 23rd floor balcony, he heads to his knees in prayer.

Because he's learned that nurturing his spiritual well being is just as crucial as monitoring his profit and loss statements. Which leads me directly to today's Bible verse. So let's get right to it. And I know I've changed up the flow here a little bit on the show.

I haven't done it exactly the way I do it, but I just felt like this was the best way to present this today. So today's Bible verse comes from Romans 8, 28. And this is what it says.

It says, and we Know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. So you might be saying, Ralph, let's talk about the relevance of that. Well, you think about David's story. This is what it illustrates.

Even when we face our darkest moments in business, David had lost that big client at $1.2 million worth of business revenue. But even in those darkest moments, God is working behind the scenes.

This verse reminds us that our challenges, just like David's crisis of purpose, when we look at those, they're part of a larger divine plan. And notice how the verse speaks about being called according to his purpose. That's exactly what it says, called according to his purpose.

And see, this directly relates to seeing our business as a ministry. I'll talk to you a little bit about that later in the show. And you might say raffle. When did the transformation begin?

Well, the transformation began when he started viewing his success through the lens of God's purpose, not just that balance sheet or that profit and loss statement. It wasn't just about profits. And see, this verse teaches us that. And it says it right. In the verse, all things, all things work together for good.

And think about it for a moment. Even those 3am moments of despair.

See, because David discovered sometimes our biggest business challenges become our greatest spiritual breakthroughs. Had he not lost that big client, maybe he wouldn't have had this spiritual breakthrough.

And when we feel lost in our entrepreneurial journey, this verse reminds us that God is actively working things out. We might not see it at the time, but the Bible promises that.

And David's story shows us that even when we can't see the path forward because of the fog or the storm or whatever that is, we can rest knowing that God is orchestrating events for our good.

And just like David learned to prioritize spiritual well being alongside business metrics because he didn't abandon those things, we need to trust in God's larger plan and think about it. This verse encourages us to look beyond immediate challenges, to see God's transformative work in our lives and our businesses.

So, Michael, remember this, and I hear you loud and clear in your question. Your current business challenges, like David's story, might just be the catalyst that God is using to draw you closer to his purpose.

Now, let me take a minute and just talk to you about the gratefulness I have here. Because today I am grateful for God's promise that he will strengthen and help us even in our weakest moments.

Even in our weakest moments, he will Strengthen and help us. So Michael, let's get to how you can find that same transformation. You know, looking back at it, you know what's fascinating about David's story?

It perfectly illustrates what scripture tells us, that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him. So let me take you deeper into what happened next. Think about that rock bottom moment that David hit. He's in that corner office.

He's seen that success on paper. But what he was really saying is he was saying, Ralph, I am spiritually bankrupt. I don't know about you, Michael, but I felt that at times too.

And he's looking at that drawing from his son. And what did that drawing become? It became God's wake up call, showing him how business success without divine purpose leaves us empty.

His son was calling out to him. And it tells us that when we commit our work to the Lord, our plans become established.

But all too often, we often need to hit that moment of surrender. I think about the him in church, I surrender all. Well, that's where David ended up. Somebody asked Ralph what was the turning point?

And see, for David, the journey from despair to purpose wasn't just about changing his schedule. That was easy. He could make those moments available for his family.

Yeah, it meant shuffling his schedule around a little bit, but that wasn't the main part of it. The main turning point was about realigning his entire business with God's plan. He wasn't just be able to take a snippet of it.

And like many entrepreneurs, these are people I work with every day. He had to learn that true fulfillment comes through pursuing his purposes, the Lord's purposes, not just prophets.

And that transformation began with simple daily acts of surrender and trust. I'm going to tell you exactly what David and I did. Because Michael, this can be your way to get past what you're in right now.

And for David, we established three core practices. The first one was this. We started each day with prayer and scripture before opening any emails or spreadsheets. That was his focus.

And I'm going to encourage you, Michael, to do the same thing. Start every day with prayer and scripture before doing anything else.

Second thing, with David, we viewed business decisions through the lens of biblical stewardship. That was important. We needed to see that every single decision was seen through that lens of biblical stewardship.

And then the third component to this was building that regular accountability with other Christian entrepreneurs. He needed to surround himself with. And I'm going to challenge you, Michael, to do the same thing.

And I'll get To some specifics here in a few minutes, Michael, but surround yourself with those Christian entrepreneurs that can give you accountability. I just watched a movie, I think it was on Netflix, called the Forge. And I'm going to highly encourage you to check it out.

Our Spanish minister from church had me over for dinner or lunch actually on a Sunday after church. And he had told me about this movie called the Forge.

And I was like, okay, I don't really know much about it and I'm not a person that's easily moved to tears.

But let me tell you, that night when I watched that movie, I sat there in my recliner and a nice fire going in the fireplace, but man, I just teared up and I cried when I watched that movie. And I'm not going to spoil it for you, but I'm going to encourage you to go check it out.

It's called the Forge because it will give you that idea about that accountability. And that's so important because listen, for David, this wasn't just spiritual theory.

It wasn't like, oh, that's a great idea, Ralph, pie in the sky ideas. It was practical application of God's promises in business. So you might be saying, Ralph, what were the results?

Well, here's the honest to God truth results.

Within months, David's entire approach to business shifted from this success driven where he was worried about the bottom line and how much does he have in his bank account and how much revenue dollars are getting and sales and all that, it moved beyond that. It shifted to a purpose driven approach. And listen, David's team noticed the change too.

Suddenly they had a leader who wasn't just focused on those metrics, but he was focused on a mission. And let me tell you, he was on fire. And his team saw it. And what happened next was exactly what I hoped would happen.

And God was good in this because guess what? His business actually grew stronger. It got stronger. A lot of people say, well, that seems so against the grain, Ralph.

Like you're telling me he took a purpose driven. He approached business like that and it actually grew stronger. Yeah, it did. Because guess what? He added a new team member.

And that team member was the Lord himself. And his business decisions were now aligned with God's plan rather than just market demands.

And today David still reminds us that entrepreneurial challenges are opportunities for spiritual growth. We can use these things that God puts in front of us.

And his experience shows us how integrating faith in the business isn't just about Sunday morning worship. It's not going to be enough if you Think you're just going to do this on Sunday morning?

Maybe you go to Sunday night service or maybe even Wednesday night service as well, or whatever that looks like for you. It's not just about that. It's about Monday through Friday, Saturday, Sunday, every minute, integrating that faith into your business.

And for David, he said this to me, he said, Ralph, the real success came when I understood that every business decision could be an act of worship. See, he understood that concept, but he applied it to every single business decision he made.

And see, the transformation wasn't just about making David a better businessman. Yeah, that was part of what happened. And it was very effective in that God had a purpose for him.

But the real transformation was about aligning his entire entrepreneurial journey with God's greater purpose. And Michael, that's exactly what I want to help you discover today in your business journey.

So let me share three transformative steps that help David and Michael. I know these can help you as well. And Michael, these aren't just theories. These are battle tested practices that changed everything for David.

I've used the same thing. They changed everything for me and they can change the same for you.

So here's what I want you to do, Michael, number one, step one, embrace the power of purpose driven entrepreneurship. Think about David. David discovered that true fulfillment wasn't in his profit margins. Michael, you need to do the same thing.

But aligning in his business with God's purpose was the key. You might be saying, Ralph, well, how do you make that happen? Well, Michael, here's how you do it. Here's how we practically can do that.

Here's what I'm going to encourage you to do, Michael. Every morning, start with a 15 minute prayer and scripture reading before checking any emails. Your forced email message is from the good book itself.

That's your first 15 minutes a day. If you need to go buy a devotional to help you get there, I would highly encourage it. I think devotionals are great.

If you can't, if you don't want to do the devotional, go right to the Bible, that's fine. But find something that as soon as your feet hit the floor, maybe your feet don't even hit the floor, you're laying in bed and you're doing it.

Take that first 15 minutes and dedicate that to prayer and scripture reading. And then the next thing I want you to do is write down one way your business can help serve others today, not just tomorrow. Start right now.

Michael, when you get done listening to this, write down one way your business can Serve others today. Serve others, not just serve profit. That's the easy part. I say this on the show routinely. I can show you how to be a very successful scoundrel.

But are you serving others in that? And then at the end of your day, I want you to do this each and every day. I want you to journal three ways that you saw God working your business.

Three ways. Because Michael, your business isn't just about making money, it's about making a difference while honoring God's plan for your life.

So that's step one. Embrace the power of that purpose driven entrepreneurship. Step number two. And this is crucial for your success.

I wish I could tell you could do this on your own, but guess what? You can't. So step two is build a faith based, based support system. My friend David found strength and surround himself with other believers.

I think that is so very critical. The Bible talks a lot about the fellowship of believers, the fellowship of the elect. So you might be saying, Ralph, how do I do that?

Well Michael, here's how you can do this. There are Christian entrepreneur prayer groups. Maybe you create your, your own. Find a spiritual mentor who successfully integrated faith in business.

And then I want to encourage you to schedule regular accountability check ins with fellow Christian business owners. You know one of the things that just bothers me and this was brought out in that movie the Forge.

And like I say, you should watch that, it will definitely impact your life. But I think that all of us who are business owners would be better if we found other Christian business owners to interact with.

You know, I, I'm a member of a mastermind, a mastermind basically for podcasting for my show. And we once a week there's several of us in the group and we're actually a Christian mastermind.

So it's kind of along those same lines and we support each other, we find ways to help each other out, we listen, we give each other constructive feedback and see this support system becomes your lifeline during those challenging times. And guess what? You are going to have challenging times.

When David lost a million 2 in revenue because he lost that customer, that was a challenging time. But when you have that support system, you can fall back on it will give you both practical wisdom and spiritual encouragement.

Because for David or for you, Michael even, maybe you need to find some practical steps when those type of things happen. But if nothing else, just like I get in my mastermind group, you will find some spiritual encouragement.

So that's number two, build a faith based support system. Number three, implement biblical stewardship principles.

See Because David learned that managing his business according to biblical principles, it created both spiritual and financial success. So Michael, here's your action plan as it relates to this. Review all business decisions through the lens of biblical stewardship.

Do that for every single business decision. And then I might encourage you to set aside specific time for family and worship that are non negotiable. Just like David did.

He made a commitment that he is going to have family dinner. I think in our country we would be so much better served. And we started doing that again. And listen, that's what we did in my house.

Even when my mom and dad split up, every night at dinner, it was dinner time. My mother's house, or we were my dad's house, same thing. We didn't do this thing where we had TV trays, you know, sitting in front of the television.

We turned the TV off, we sat together, we talked. It's one of the things I feel so bad about in our current culture. People just don't see the value on that. But set aside the specific times.

I want to also encourage you to create a giving strategy that aligns with your faith values because it's not just about, you know, doing that, it's about adding that giving strategy. And this one is going to be hard.

And I was talking to a good friend of mine, it's a doctor that I, that just started working with and, and I sense that he was feeling some of this as well. And here's the thing I'm going to encourage you to do, Michael. Establish clear boundaries between work and personal life.

Because if you don't, you're never going to be able to maintain that spiritual well being. And listen, I was not good at this. I remember when my kids were young, we were just starting a family.

I did not know how to disconnect from my business. You know, my wife would say things like, oh, I see you're playing with the kids, but you're always on your.

At the time, I think it was called a BlackBerry. Have you ever had any people remember those?

But yeah, I mean, I'd be rustling around on the floor with the kids and I'm looking over at my BlackBerry every couple minutes to see if I got an email or see if I got a text. And what was I saying to my kids? I was saying to them, look, you're not that important. That BlackBerry is more important.

I was saying the same thing to my wife and I didn't do a good job of establishing those clear boundaries and I needed to do that. And Michael, I'm going to encourage you to do the same thing. You can do this, Michael.

And Michael, listen, just like David, you don't have to choose between business success and spiritual fulfillment. It isn't a zero sum game. You can have both. You just got to get your priorities in check.

And if you'll implement these steps, you can find that sweet spot. And that sweet spot is different for you. It's different for David. It was different for me.

But that's where your entrepreneurial journey becomes an expression of your faith. Because here's a truth bomb. God isn't just interested in your Sunday worship. Of course he wants that.

But he wants so much more than he wants to be part of your Monday through Friday success as well.

And so what's incredible about David's transformation and Michael, you will see the same thing if you put these things into practice, is when he started putting those principles into practice, not only did his spiritual life improve, but his business actually grew stronger. You might be saying, Ralph, why? Why is that? It was a very simple, nuanced change because he was no longer operating from a place of emptiness.

He found that emptiness. I found that emptiness. I've been where David is. I think I've been where you are, Michael.

But he was operating from a place of foundation, of purpose and faith. And the key is perseverance through this process because again, it's not going to happen overnight. You might not see immediate results.

But remember, like any other worthwhile transformation, this takes time and consistent effort. When you went to college, just say you went to college. You didn't go to college for one week and then they gave you your degree.

If you're like me, it took four years, but it was worthwhile, it was valuable. But you had to invest the time. You had to invest the consistent effort.

So, Michael, keep pushing forward and know that God is working all things together for your good, even when you can't see it.

Now, one of the things I want to bring to everyone's attention, Michael and everyone else listening every day when I do this podcast, I also write a blog article and it's an opportunity for you to go a little deeper. And I get into some of the resources I've used to create the show. So I'm going to encourage you, just like I do every day, to go check out our blog.

And you can do that askralphpodcast.com/blog again, that's askralphpodcast.com/blog. So let me ask you a question. What if your faith could become your greatest business asset? Just think about that for a second.

What if your faith could become your greatest business asset? Here's another question. What if the path to entrepreneurial success aligned perfectly with with your Christian values? Why wrote a book about this?

And in the book Gospel Entrepreneurship, I uncover the powerful intersection of faith and business. And this is a success point that most entrepreneurs overlook. That's why I wrote the book.

Because every day Christian business owners face a seemingly impossible choice. Michael, I feel like you're facing this choice. I know David was feeling this.

They got this impossible choice of following cutthroat business practices or staying true to their faith because they the world will tell you you have to pick one or the other. But let me ask you, what if you didn't have to choose? I mean, what if your faith could actually become your competitive advantage?

Think about that for a second. What if your faith could actually become your competitive advantage? So this book I wrote, it's not just another business book.

It is a guidebook for entrepreneurs who refuse to compromise their values for success. And I'm going to go through real world examples, practical strategies and biblical wisdom.

And in my book, you're going to discover how to build an unshakable business foundation rooted in God's guidance. That's exactly what we're talking about on today's show. I want to show you why prayer should be your first business strategy.

Just like I encourage you to do, Michael, start the day in prayer. And you should do the same in your business strategy, not the last resort.

When everything is crumbling around you, how Christian principles naturally lead to stronger customer relationships. You don't understand just how powerful that is. And like David learned, and it builds that team loyalty.

And I'm going to share the secret to making decisions with both faith and wisdom. So join countless other Christian entrepreneurs who have transformed their businesses by applying these biblical principles.

They've discovered that success doesn't require sacrificing their values. Far to the contrary, it's enhanced by them. And listen, in today's uncertain business climate, you need more than just business strategies.

David learned that when he lost that big client, he needed so much more than that. You need divine wisdom. You need guidance that aligns with your faith. And you need the gospel of entrepreneurship.

Don't let another day pass wondering how you're going to bridge your faith in business success. You don't have to pick either or. So get your copy of the Gospel of Entrepreneurship today. You can go to order that right from our website.

That's askralphpodcast.com/gospel again, that's askralphpodcast.com/gospel and remember this big takeaway here. Your business isn't just a venture, it's a ministry. So let the gospel entrepreneurship show you how to honor God while building a legacy of success.

Well, now we've reached the point of the show where I want to reflect on what we've talked about. I'm going to give you three reflection questions that I want you to ponder on Michael and everyone else listening.

Number one, what area of your life are you trying to control instead of surrendering it to God? Hey, we've all done this.

If we're going to be honest, and we got to be honest if we're going to make transformational change, what area of your life are you trying to control instead of surrendering it to God? Like I said, that beautiful gospel song from church, I surrender all because that's what it takes. You can't surrender half.

You can't surrender three quarters. You can't even surrender 90%. You got to surrender it all to God. Second reflection question.

How might your business decisions change if you truly believe God was walking beside you in every meeting, in every challenge? If God was sitting at that boardroom table with you, how would your business decisions change? Think about that.

And my final reflection question, what's holding you back from taking that first step? What's keeping you from moving towards that genuine peace with God? You got to surrender that, figure out what's holding you back.

Now, tomorrow's show I'm going to talk about, is it wrong to have an emergency fund? Someone sent me a question and said, Ralph, does that show a lack of faith? So that's exactly what I'm going to talk about on tomorrow's show.

And before I close today, please allow me to pray. I haven't done this for a couple weeks, but I feel like it's today's show is just what we need to do.

We need to pray about this because we need heavenly intervention.

Dear heavenly Father, today I lift up every entrepreneur, especially Michael and those like him who are feeling the weight of success without purpose. Lord, you tell us to seek your kingdom first and your righteousness, and all these things will be added unto us.

Help us remember that true fulfillment comes not from our achievements but from aligning our business goals with your divine plan. Lord, we acknowledge that everything we have is entrusted to us by you.

So give us the wisdom to be good stewards of the resources you've provided, using them not just for profit, but for purposes that honor your kingdom. Guide us to make decisions that reflect your character and values in our business practices.

Lord, we know we face challenges and uncertainties, but remind us that you are faithful to see us through. You are walking right there with us.

Grant us the strength to persevere, knowing that with you as our partner in business, there are no limits to what we can achieve according to your will.

Lord, we ask for clarity in understanding the specific path you want us to take and wisdom in using our talents and resources in ways that please you. Help us to remain humble and help us to remain willing to adapt when you lead us in unexpected directions.

Lord, give us the courage to build businesses grounded in integrity, serving a higher purpose beyond profits. May our entrepreneurial journey be an act of worship, contributing positively to people's well being and advancing your kingdom here on earth.

Lord, we trust in your promise that when we commit our work to you, our plans will be established according to your perfect will. Help us to find that sweet spot where a business success becomes a testimony of your faithfulness. I ask this in the precious name of Jesus. Amen.

So as I close today, remember and I got passionate today, but I truly believe that the Holy Spirit is speaking through me and Michael, it's speaking to you. It's speaking to everyone else that's listening to this. You have a choice to make, and my passion is to help you achieve financial success.

But you realize that it's not just the financial success that I'm helping you to do. I want you to work, to live out your dreams. But more importantly than anything else, I want you to grow in your faith.

And I know together we can master your finances from a Christian perspective. And that's what really matters. So as I end today as I always do, stay financially savvy.

Start your day with prayer, end your day with a journal of gratefulness and thankfulness, and may God bless you on this Sunday.

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