Lean Into the Fire (I Promise, It Will Refine You)
Guest Post from Derek McMonagle
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Hey folks! We’ve got a special guest post from CF Guild Member and friend of the pod, Derek McMonagle.
He is the Co-Founder of Beyond the Veil Coaching, an accountability and habits-based coaching company that helps Catholic professionals who are struggling with career burnout, time management, and productivity.
His goal is to help you identify your God-given gifts and charisms, identify the sins and vices holding you back from your goals, help you create a 90-day roadmap to success, and assign a dedicated Holy habits coach to you for personal accountability. If you are tired of staying ‘stuck’ and are ready to build Holy habits, check out his website: wwww.beyondtheveilcoaching.com
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Lean Into the Fire (I Promise, It Will Refine You)
By Derek McMonagle | Beyond the Veil Coaching
If God has called you to build something meaningful, a business, a mission, a movement, a family, I can guarantee that you will encounter fires.
Not the kind that burns down buildings, but the kind that burns away comfort, control, and the illusion of self-sufficiency.
Back in 2019, during my first few years as an entrepreneur, I misunderstood the fires. I thought they meant I was failing or veering off course, but over time, I realized they were actually gifts; free stress tests for both my business and my soul.
The fires didn’t mean I was lost. More often, they meant God was forging me and shaping me through the flames to fulfill the mission He placed on my heart.
Now, let’s be super clear: Our calling isn’t paved with ease. Scripture reminds us, especially through the lives of the disciples, that the path of faith leads through storms, prisons, and even martyrdom.
Jesus never promised a smooth road, but He did promise to walk with us through the fire and that He will never abandon us.
So, what do the fires actually teach us?
For Catholic founders and leaders, fire reveals what we’re really made of. It gives us two choices: succumb or be refined.
Simple. Not easy, but simple.
Here’s what I’ve learned in six years of entrepreneurship and coaching, walking through fire after fire:
1. Fire refines our faith.
Pressure reveals what (or who) we truly trust. It strips away the illusion of control and drives us into deeper reliance on God, for wisdom, peace, and strength. Often, the fire isn’t burning your business down; it’s burning your pride away (I can attest from 1st hand experiences.)
2. Fire sharpens our skills.
Without solid soft and hard skills, we can’t lead well. Every trial is an invitation to build your foundation stronger. The Lord is calling you to sharpen the axe before cutting down the trees. He wants to make you unshakable in your trust and your craftsmanship.
3. Fire reminds us of Heaven.
Too often, we treat business fires like they’re eternally consequential, but they’re not. What’s eternal are souls, relationships, holiness, and the path to sainthood. Revenue, reputation, and results are good, but temporary. Keep your eyes on what lasts.
As Catholics, we don’t run from suffering; we accept suffering, in a redemptive manner, so that the Lord can sanctify us through the process. We trust that God uses the fires to prune us in ways beneficial towards our ability to serve others exceptionally well. We don’t need to seek out chaos, but we also don’t need to fear it. Every fire in this world will be extinguished soon enough.
If you’re in a fire right now, whether it’s a business challenge, family pressure, financial strain, or interior confusion, lean in. Go deeper. God is already there, waiting to meet you with grace.
Don’t ask, “Why is this happening to me?”
Ask, “What is God forming in me through this, and how can I thank Him for it?”
Let the fire forge your character. Don’t run from it.
Keep showing up, with peace, excellence, and radical trust in the God who wastes nothing. Not even a fire.
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 | A guest post by
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What great encouragement! Regarding point 1 and mentioning the fire and burning away pride, I immediately thought of it as an example of an earthly purgatory so to speak. In order to reach true success in as an entrepreneur, we have to be refined through a process to be able to handle it. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.