By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide hem...( Exodus 13:21).

How are you at waiting on God? How do you determine God is giving you the green light to move forward? Many business people make the mistake of adding up all the pluses and concluding God has given them the green light. There are several factors that go into making a decision from the Lord.

It is important to do three things before you make a decision on a matter. First, you should gather facts. Fact gathering allows you to know all the facts about a given situation. However, this does not ultimately drive your decision, but it can put a stop to it. For instance, if you were planning to build a shopping center and you knew the only way to lease the space was to rent to a porn shop, your decision would be made. God would not lead you to enter into unrighteous ventures.

Second, is the Holy Spirit guiding you in your decision? "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord" (Psalm 37:23). George Mueller cites that the steps are also "by the Lord." God puts hedges around us, but many times we bull our way through the hedges under the guise of tenacity and perseverance. This too is unrighteousness. One wise businessperson stated that the greatest success one can have in business is to know when it is time to pull the plug rather than keep forcing a situation. Not all businesses last forever.

Third, has your decision been confirmed? God has placed others around us to be used as instruments in our lives to confirm decisions and keep us from the deceit of our own heart. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses." (2 Corinthians 13:1). This is God's way of keeping us within the hedge of His protection.

"Write your plans in pencil and give God the eraser."