From INHERITANCE Issue #4 - Winter 2009
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I have told many young professionals the age old grass metaphor with a twist, “Be careful — the grass always seems greener on the other side ... until you get over to the other side and find that it is artificial turf!”
However, in our quest to grow the business and become a market leader in our segment, we nonetheless, found ourselves in the exact same predicament. Over a five year span from 2002 to 2007, we went from less than 100 employees to over 600 employees, from a small family business managed by my wife and I to a company with over 20 shareholder groups and a seven-member board.
Instead of developing new customers, new products, and growing our team, which has all been my passion, I found myself tangled in a web of board factions, dueling shareholders, and the cold hard fact of a depressing economy that was severely impacting our company.
Tensions Mounting
As the days went on, we were spending an overwhelming amount of time managing the “noise” around us and unable to focus on the business and its objectives. The shareholder groups and the board were polarized into three distinct camps, rendering the company and management in neutral. Plus, the economy was spiraling downward.
We began spending over 80 percent of our time “shuttling” between the different camps and appeasing the different shareholder groups. As burdens became heavy and rhetoric became personal, we grew bitter and began to lose focus. Yet, we knew we couldn’t keep up with this charade or the business would suffer irreparable harm.
Though my wife and I would come before God and pray for wisdom and new doors to be opened for us everyday before we would go in to work, we still felt so helpless and clueless about how to get out of this predicament. One evening, after another marathon day of stress and uncertainty, I got on my knees and just completely broke down before God.
I cried out to God with flooding tears of total desperation, but out of my mouth I was merely muttering, “Father, help us. Lord, save us. These are your children.” After what seemed to be hours and making a mess of myself, I finally got up, washed my face and God led me to Psalm 20:
1May the LORD answer you when you are in distress; may the name of the God of Jacob protect you. 2May he send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion. 3May he remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings. Selah 4May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed. 5We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests. 6Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. 7Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. 8They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm. 9O LORD, save the king! Answer us when we call! (NIV)
As I was reading this, once again, tears came streaming down my face. But this time, it was tears of thanksgiving. My heart was filled with thankfulness knowing that God was still here with me. I promised to trust in my Lord and not let go of Him.
Leaning on Brothers
