The beauty of setting out on the path to earthly riches with the intention of doing good is that there is no need for you to go it alone. Many times in the Bible we are told that God is available to help us:

“But remember the Lord your God,” it says in Deuteronomy 8:18, “for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” This doesn’t just mean your bearing in mind that the wealth should be created for God’s greater glorification through its use for goodness, but also that since he gave you the talent to make wealth, he will also show you how to use it.

God wants you to succeed. He wants you to take what he has given you and to increase it by our skills and hard work. This is clear from the parable of the talent in the New Testament: A master gave five talents to one man and two to another, and both used them and doubled them. A third man hid the single talent he had been given in a hole in the ground, and proudly handed back to his master later, telling him he had taken care of it for him.

But instead of praising him, his master was angry and called him wicked and lazy for not investing in some way to increase the talent. He had not used the gift of the talent properly. From this parable it is plain that we are expected to use the talents we are given to increase their value, rather than hiding them away.

So no more scruples. With this story in your mind, you can take whatever talents you have been given and set out on the road to success knowing that it is what God wants for you.

Not only does God want you to be successful and make use of the talents he has given you, but he also offers you help along the way. It says in the New Testament, Knock and it shall be opened to you.

What this means is that, like all the best CEOs, God’s door is always open to you. He is always available to ask for help. You can do this regularly, in your mind, or more formally through ritual prayer. Either will be completely acceptable to God.

Prayer is a habit that, more than anything else, will help you in your search for honest success. Are you having a problem deciding in which areas you are most skilled, or which you are most passionate about? Lay out all the possibilities in your notebook, then close it and say a simple prayer for divine inspiration.

Maybe you are happy that you have chosen the right area for your success, but are still having trouble coming up with that something unique, that niche where you can build your fledgling business. Once again, do the necessary research and then offer up a silent prayer for help in finding that special something that you are meant to do, that  business or career that is made for you.

Later there may be other decisions to be made: To which company should I apply for a job? Which supplier should I use? Should I trust this person? Which of these people will make the best office manager? Which bank should I use to save my money?

All of these things will become clearer to you if you pray about them. But don’t spend all day praying – a few minutes of sincere and heartfelt prayer is all you need – and it can be done anywhere, not necessarily on your knees in a church. The rest of your precious time should be devoted to working hard in your chosen field or business area.

Trust your Lord to give you the right answer and, like magic, it will be waiting there for you.