Waiting for Good Works Without Worry

Today feels like 2009 all over again, except we’re in a much different situation. Back then, we were a two income family, so when my private-sector job announced reductions, the effect on our household disposable income was easier to absorb. Fastforward to 2013, and the sequestration, automatic cuts in government spending, affect us from both directions: my husband is a federal employee and I am a small business owner whose opportunities in contract manufacturing stem largely from the defense industry.

According to the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011 will result in over one million private sector jobs lost, including 130,000 manufacturing jobs, in 2014.  (To read the entire report, please visit www.nam.org/defensereport.) We recently participated in a Government Procurement Conference, and it was evident that the impact would be felt most by the small-to-mid sized manufacturers and service providers in the supply chain. Going into 2013, post-election, there was high anticipation of contracted projects scheduled for release. The mood changed as the March 1^st deadline drew near. The worry increased today as there is no end in sight to the political battles of tax revenue vs. government spending.

So, what are small businesses to do to stay afloat in spite of what’s occurring in this Congressional nightmare that’s negatively impacting economic growth? I heard this sermon from Psalm 37 taught a few weeks ago and it applies to our work season. While waiting for good works without worry, we must

1.      Trust and continue to do good by your employees, customers, and communities. This season of stagnation cannot last forever. Know that better days lie ahead and that you will be rewarded for your consistency during troubling times by your key stakeholders.

2.      Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. It’s a blessing to employ good people in good jobs. Take the slow season as an opportunity to review processes and to implement best practices that will help your team to be more productive for when the work is released.

3.      Commit to the Lord and do His will. This is not the season to quit, just because it seems hopeless. Sometimes, dire circumstances are necessary to highlight what’s important. Manufacturing is the backbone for sustaining the economy. Arbitrary cuts to the defense manufacturing supply chain and those employed in the military and as defense contractors, will result in lower disposable income and reduced consumer demand—creating a ripple effect across the entire economy.

4.      Be still and patiently wait. Do not worry when people succeed in carrying out their wicked schemes. Divine intervention will intercede for conventional wisdom on the far-reaching impact on man-made problems over these United States national security and economy.

Over the last few years, I have learned that owning and running a profitable business is not for the faint of heart. I have learned to wait on the Lord to receive new strength to continue to endure and not grow weary. I have learned that success or promotion does not come from natural man. We place our hope in the Lord, that we are doing His will. And if so, our reward for our good works is peace and prosperity. Don’t worry…the best days of manufacturing lie ahead of us.

The executive summary of the NAM report can be accessed for a limited time from the following link:

http://armedservices.house.gov/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=f40c9c99-83da-4b26-b134-c0554bae4e05