In Joshua 3, we read about an army, getting ready to conquer their enemies. They are camped out near the Jordan river.

After three days of camping, they receive instruction from their leader. The instruction goes a little something like this:

When you see priests, carrying the presence of God (A.K.A the ark of the covenant) – follow them.

The Bible reads:

Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.

Joshua 3:4, NIV.

Next, this Israelite army receives an encouragement from their leader:

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Joshua 3: 5, NIV.

Some of us are desperate for change.

• We want a change in our finances, health or relationships.
• We want to stop feeling so stressed.
• We want to get out of this pit of depression and despair.

And maybe, like me, you’ve made steps towards change. But you are not quite there… yet.

Change is on the horizon. Fears have been faced. Relief has come, in part.

But the battle has not been won. Not quite.

Reading Joshua 3 this morning has given me great comfort.

This Israelite army has made enormous steps of faith towards the land that God has praised them.

And as they wait in hope for breakthrough, they get a message:

Be on the lookout for the presence of God and when you see it, follow it.

You don’t know the way and that is O.K, because God does. He doesn’t expect you to know how to get where you have never been before.

In fact, I feel Him encouraging you with these words:

“Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.”

Joshua 3: 5, NIV.

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Recently, a much-loved friend of mine came round and we had a long conversation about one of my very favourite topics: Birth!

When I was pregnant with my first: I piled expectations on myself.

I read books that gave me tips on how to have “The Best. Birth. Possible” (I will refer to this as BBP!)

In my mind, in order to achieve BBP I had to:

• Avoid induction at all costs.
• Get sciency. Learn exactly what was going to happen to my body during labour.
• Practice breathing and relaxation so that I could perform these rituals in labour.
• Get a pool, preferably at home, and lots of affirming words and candles.
• Avoid all “bad” birth stories. They will somehow defile the BBP.

Here’s the thing: Getting sciency, practicing relaxation and grabbing some tea lights are all good ideas.

But I took this list and I tried to control what I could not control. I tried to achieve what I could not achieve.

I was going somewhere I had never been before, and I was trying to act as if I had already visited labour a thousand times over.

• I didn’t manage to avoid induction,
• I didn’t have a clue what was happening to my body in labour, as I had a back to back baby and contractions were far from textbook.
• I managed to perform some relaxation tactics but the pool idea did not work for me.
• Candles were not present at the c-section birth.
• I had no frame of reference for what was happening because I had avoided so many birth stories. I also felt shame that my birth didn’t mean the “positive birth” criteria.

Now, flash forward to my second birth. Another big, unknown experience. Nothing was the same as birth number 1.

There was a point in that second labour where I was ready to give birth in an upright position, exactly as the textbooks had recommended.

At that very moment, monitors – which had been secured on my tummy – fell off.

Midwives were stressed.

My calm “breathe the baby out” birth was once again threatened.

I had two choices:

1. I could stick to the textbooks, tell midwives to back off and stop faffing. Cause a bit of an argument. Demand that I stand!
2. I could resist the argument, sit down, let midwives strap a monitor to me and just keep going. Yes, I would stray from the textbook birth. But, I would keep my inner peace: I heard God say it was going to be O.K.

I went with option 2.

Was it what the books said: No.

Was God with me: Yes.

I went where peace was.

I strayed from textbooks and I was aware of God’s presence and of my peace.

I think this is important:

• You can’t enter somewhere you’ve never been and expect to be an expert at it.
• You can enter somewhere you’ve never been and expect God to guide you through it.

So, it’s a case of managing your expectations.

Maybe today is a good time to do that.

Ask yourself: Am I piling expectations upon myself?

Then, listen to your response inside of your heart.

Write down whatever comes to mind.

• Maybe you are expecting a relationship to be resolved in a particular way. You want an apology, or an explanation. You think if you do A, B and C you will get what you hope for, in the way that you hope for. But what if it never comes?
• Maybe you are expecting a job to pan out in your favour. What if it doesn’t? What if it’s simply not for you?
• Maybe you are expecting a perfect birth? You’ve got the pool out! What if it doesn’t go your way, will you let God lead?

There’s a billion “maybe’s” that I could write.

I could tell you about how my underlying illness recently flared up, even though I’ve practiced the “right” diet, to keep it under wraps. – Are you putting expectations on your healing?

I could tell you about my lack of career! And how every turn God has not done what I expected. At all! – Are you open to doing what God wants in your everyday life?

Whatever it is for you, I feel now is the time to lay the expectations by the river and then go where God leads, freeing yourself of this desire to know what will happen or to know where to go.

I saw a “get in lane” sign when I was driving the other day and there were five lanes available. It was overwhelming. Some of us need to recognize we have no clue where we are headed… and that is O.K.

Just follow His presence and watch how He brings amazing things.

I would love to know what expectations you are laying down, in the comments below.