When Fixing Becomes Failing

I’ll Figure It Out

I went to a meeting with a potential client, and as we talked, I just wanted to start fixing things.

The truth is, I’m a fixer. And if you’re a business owner, you probably are too.

So a client has a need, we fix it.
If the system is broken, we fix it.
If money is tight, we fix it.

But here’s the harsh reality: sometimes, by rushing to fix it, we’re actually acting out of self-reliance.

As with everything, there are nuances. We can’t do nothing, but that doesn’t mean we’re doing the right thing.

Let me explain.

Psalm 27:14 in the Complete Jewish Bible says:

“Wait for Adonai;
Be strong, and let your heart take courage;
Yes — wait for Adonai.”

The word wait is Qavah (קוּה), which literally means to bind together like strands of rope, or to stay connected under tension.

David uses it twice in this verse — once at the start and once at the end — like he’s saying, “Don’t miss this. It’s that important.”

Then it says “be strong” — Chazaq (חֲזַק). This isn’t just inner strength. It’s the kind of strength that refuses to let go.

Think of words like grip or cling. Holding on like your life depends on it. Because it does.

And here’s why I think we miss this verse in our culture.

In life and in business, when hard times come…
When something breaks, when something isn’t how we want it, when challenges rise up (which is basically all the time)…

Our first instinct is to fix it.

But David is asking a deeper question:

What are you clinging to?
What are you holding on to like your life depends on it?
What do you stay connected to under tension?
What do you qavah for?

The truth is, when challenges hit, my first reaction usually isn’t to cling to God.

I’m not holding to the covenant first.

Here’s how I picture it:

As long as I’m yielded to God, I’m under His tent. Covered. Protected.

But so often, I hear a crash and instead of staying under the tent, I run out to “fix” it.

My focus shifts from staying under God’s covering to chasing my own ideas, thoughts, and solutions.

What if we clung to staying under the tent like our life depended on it?

What if we actually feared leaving the tent — more than we feared the crash?

That’s what covenant hope looks like.

It looks like saying: “Whatever is happening out there doesn’t matter — as long as I’m under this tent with You.”

In business, it means when challenges show up, our first move is to cling to God and ask:

• “What do You want?”

• “How can I follow You right now?”

• “How do I stay under Your tent in this moment?”

And even when the answer doesn’t come quickly… or things don’t change the way we hoped… it’s holding tighter. It’s refusing to let go.

But here’s the trap: we often ask God once, but only for an outcome.

“God, solve this.”
“God, change that.”

What we don’t say is:
“God, help me stay aligned with You — whatever that looks like.”

So we ask… and then we run off to fix it our way. We do what makes sense to us, instead of making sure we’re aligned and covered.

We run out from under the tent so easily.
I run out from under the tent so easily.

At the end of the day, it’s actually pretty simple. We have two choices:

1. Trust God in every season — good or bad — leaning on Him as our protection, provision, identity, and inheritance.
   Clinging with all we have, no matter what.

2. Trust ourselves in every season — good or bad — walking out of covenant.
   Saying, “I choose me over You. I believe I can help myself more than You can. Or maybe I believe You won’t help me, so I have to do it myself.”

We may not say it out loud. But our actions say it all the time.

When things aren’t moving fast enough, we make decisions without consulting God.
When money is tight, we scramble for a solution without asking Him.
When life is painful, we try to fill the void ourselves.
And in abundance, we look at “our kingdom” and think our strategy got us here.

But David reminds us: stop.

Covenant says: Be dependent on God. Cling to Him — in every season.

The waiting season.
The betrayal season.
The silent season.
The heavy season.
The hopeless season.
The abundant season.

No wonder David danced with what looked like “indignity” before the ark of the covenant.

He was celebrating a covenant Father who had always been dependable.

And here in Psalm 27:14, he’s reminding us:
Cling to God and His covenant promise.
Regardless of the season.
Cling with everything you have.
This is your only hope.

If you want encouragement like this sent straight to your inbox each week, be sure to subscribe here: https://www.calledtocommerce.com/subscribe