Understanding and interpreting data has been invaluable to me as I navigate business opportunities for my company. Studying data has protected me from bad investments and led me to great ones. The ability to make decisions with accurate and in-depth information sets us up for success, but I have learned that data does not always reveal the whole story. It is a great guide but not an exact science.
The great benefit of data is its ability to reveal patterns and alert us to potential dangers or opportunities through time-tested methods. It should inform our projections and forecasts, and to do so with proficiency will lead to success and profitable businesses. There is a popular quote attributed to W. Edwards Denning that says “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” which I believe has some great insight behind it. However, in my experience data is not the ultimate revealer, it does not tell the whole story.
‘Supernatural business’ enables us to benefit not only from data but a relationship with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a revealer of God’s plans and purposes.
"God has shown these things to us through His Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit Who looks into all things, even the secrets of God, and shows them to us."
"When the Holy Spirit, who is truth, comes, he shall guide you into all truth, for he will not be presenting his own ideas, but will be passing on to you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future."
In my experience, the Holy Spirit has confirmed the times to move forward by giving me a sense of peace or walking away from something when I feel a check in my spirit. That check often feels like a nagging feeling that won’t leave me alone. My faith in God trusts that He will lead me by his spirit into good plans and not bad ones. I am thankful for the headaches and heartaches I have avoided by trusting the revealing of the Holy Spirit. I am a big advocate for the winning combination of The Holy Spirit and data. Many times, God will confirm his revealing of a situation using the data available to me.
In instances where the data points to one outcome and the Holy Spirit points to another, I have learned that The Holy Spirit is a better guide. I have been tempted to charge ahead on the data and ignored the check in my spirit but it has never turned out well. In times when I feel the conflict between the two, I appreciate having trusted advisors who also hear from The Holy Spirit that can confirm or deny what I might be sensing.
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