Yesterday we began talking about how someone who believes in the Word of God should respond to bad economic news. We’re going to continue that particular discussion in the days ahead.

For today, however, I wanted to post a quick note because I wanted to share some really great practical advice from the blog of author Tim Ferriss. He has a guest post that serves as a great response to all of the fear in the atmosphere. His guest, Cameron Herold, has some tips on “activity pairing.” In other words, here’s what to do in different cycles of your business.

As someone who has started multiple businesses, I can tell you that I wish I had known:

1. I’m not alone in having emotional ups and downs, and
2. There are great times to perform certain types of work… and terrible times.

Hope this is insightful and helpful to you.  We’ll pick up our main line of thought next time.

It always happens in an election year — some kind of upheaval. But this year it really seems to have teeth. Banks failing, huge drops (and gains) in the stock market, businesses closing, layoffs, etc.

As believers, how do we respond?

I’ve spent a lot of time studying this subject this year. With ups and downs in my own business and perhaps more personal financial pressure than ever, a serious question emerges:

Does what we believe have the ability to produce what we need?

Notice the question does not address the One in Whom we believe. His character, His love, His ability and His goodness aren’t even remotely in question.

But what I’ve learned is that it matters what we believe about Him.

If, for example, I don’t believe that His help is available — whether it’s because I’m unaware of it or because I haven’t built up trust in Him through relationship and experiential knowledge — then I won’t seek it out. If I do seek it out, I might choose not to do what He leads me to do.

And guess what? That means that I don’t get the result that He promised. It’s that simple.

In today’s Proverb is this verse that caught my eye:

“Every word of God is tried and purified; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.”
(Proverbs 30:5 AMP)

With the storms of economic bad news raging around us, it’s time to “trust and take refuge in Him.” You may be surrounded with wreckage in the midst of this economic storm. You may have even taken some personal blows in your business or your family. But now’s not the time to leave the battlefield. It’s time to surround yourself with the shield and take refuge in it.

It occurs to me that shields are unnecessary if you’re not getting fired upon or attacked.

More on this in the days ahead.

Your thoughts?