I am in a season of hard work.

A season in which hard work is necessary.

It is a God-given season; a God-led season. I know that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

Nevertheless, in many ways, this season requires work. Obviously, rest should be part of my daily and weekly rhythm – but this is not my rest season. Nor is it my wilderness, crying-out-to-God-in-the-dark season. It is also not a season dedicated to get my ducks in a row, plant some seeds and be strategic.

This is a season of hard work. In the world of eCommerce – this is the season in which I have built my website, designed a great marketing campaign and now it is time to pack some boxes and get those orders sent out!

It is not time to enjoy fruits of labour; But it is the time to labour.

Confession: I have never been in a season like this with God before. The last time I was in a season of hard work, I was at university and I was not a Christian. I burnt out. I people-pleased too much. I didn’t think for myself. I compared way too much.

So what does it look like to be in a season in which you know you are supposed to work hard, but you know you are supposed to do it with God?

That is the question I am pondering in today’s post.

God-fits not Good Fits

I have been slowly blogging through the book of Joshua. When Joshua became the leader of God’s people, there is no denying that he entered a season of hard work. He faced battle, after battle… after battle.

In today’s post we are delving into Joshua, Chapter 10.

Joshua has seen victory at this point, in his journey. As a result, five opposing kings gather together in an attempt to destroy Joshua and God’s people.

How do they do it? They attack the Gibeonites.

The Gibeonites are a bunch of people that Josh had made a peace agreement with (read Chapter 9.)

The Gibeonites had previously deceived Joshua and his army. Yet, in Chapter 10 Joshua does not leave the Gibeonites to suffer, at the hands of his enemies. Instead, he marches his entire army to save them:

So Joshua marched up from Gilgal with his entire army, including all the best fighting men. The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”

Joshua 10: 7 – 8, NIV.

Joshua:

a. Honours his word. And

b. He listens to God.

If you are in a season of hard work you need to first know exactly what it is God is calling you to do. And then you need to show up.

It sounds simple. Don’t over-promise. Don’t under-promise. But, in this season I have already found myself taking on too much and then having to say: “no thank you,” to things that God never intended for me.

Don’t do it because your mum wants you to. Don’t do it because your friends are doing it. Do what God has called you to and lay down anything that He hasn’t. If it looks a bit awkward or feels uncomfortable – you are probably doing it right!

Some of the things I have recently given up – on paper – seem like good fits for me. But they are not God fits. They are not what God has for me in this season. They will therefore burn me out. I must trust what He is doing, more than I trust what feels or looks right.

Don’t Quit; Keep Going

“Don’t be afraid.”

It is a phrase used by God so many times in the bible.

We live in a culture that is a little bit afraid of hard work. I know this because the last time I was in a season of hard work, I did not know God. I can tell you that all the advice I was given, at that time, was to quit.

When things got tough so many people told me to quit.

I have watched people emotionally and spiritually quit when situations at work became difficult, or when family situations grew painful.

God had prepared Joshua for this. He knew Joshua was going to go into various battles. Battles in which Josh needed to work really hard to overcome opposition.

God doesn’t say “Joshua lay down and I will do the hard work for you.” He says:

“Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.”

Joshua 10: 7 – 8, NIV.

In other words: You are going to be successful because I am with you in this.

Joshua walks his men all night long and God meets him in the battle:

After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took them by surprise.The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, so Joshua and the Israelites defeated them completely at Gibeon. Israel pursued them along the road going up to Beth Horon and cut them down all the way to Azekah and Makkedah.As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them, and more of them died from the hail than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.

Joshua 10: 8 – 11, NIV.

It is a partnership. A duo.

Josh does the walking; Training his men, bringing them alongside. God does the rest.

Throwing the enemy into confusion; Hurling hailstones down on them. God does what Joshua cannot. But God does not tell Joshua to sit back and relax. He tells him to go and trust his presence and his power with him.

I have given birth to three children. When my youngest was born, no one believed that I had gone into labour!

My waters broke and – because of a previous C section – I was told to go straight to hospital. There, I quietly noticed contractions. I quietly noticed my body preparing to birth my baby.

In spite of this, midwives assumed that I would need to be induced the next day. Instead of getting angry with hospital staff – and my hangry husband – I stayed focused and calm. I did not let stress affect me. I put worship music on, I breathed slowly and I let my body do the hard work that it was made to do, at that moment. (N.B. I sound really zen, but this was my third baby and I had done a lot of prayer and therapy to get to this point!)

Now, there is a moment in labour where you don’t think you can do it anymore! You might have been labouring well for ages, but this weird moment called transition comes and you just want to panic. It is very hard to stay calm at that moment.

Here is the wild thing: It is usually around this point that your body starts pushing a baby out. It just takes over. It is absolutely bonkers.

My point: God meets you in those moments where you simply don’t have a clue what to do. Where the temptation is to panic.

Letting God be God is a tricky thing for a lot of us. Especially if we have dealt with anxiety – we want control.

The unknown is tricky for us – A fixed goal would surely relieve anxious thoughts and a panicky chest?

But we must realise that we have certainty in God. We have our forever, solid goal in Christ, who is with us always, until the very end.

The Best Colleague

“On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel:

“Sun, stand still over Gibeon,
and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.”

So the sun stood still,
and the moon stopped,
till the nation avenged itself on its enemies,

as it is written in the Book of Jashar.

The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. There has never been a day like it before or since, a day when the Lord listened to a human being. Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel!”

Joshua 10: 12 – 14. NIV.

In working with God we discover God has a purpose for our lives; He is big, He is in control and He makes all things work for the good of those who love Him. (See Romans 8:28).

But I love this story in Joshua, because here we see God listen to Josh; We see God acknowledge Joshua’s magnificent request.

I think about Moses – how God listened to his request to take Aaron – his brother – with him to challenge Pharoah. How God listened to Moses’ other request to stay with the Israelites, after they had betrayed Him, once again.

Hard work can sometimes stress me out, because my biggest struggle is an approval addiction. I want people to like me. I want to prove myself to others.

But God redefines work. A partnership with God is not doing things for his approval. It is learning to be friends with God. It is understanding that He is not some taskmaster with a list of jobs. He doesn’t need to show off his power to teach you a lesson about humility.

I think that working with God looks like knowing he already approves of you and wants to hear what you have to say.

Working with God looks like friendship with God.

I think of Peter – how he stepped out of a boat and began to walk on water to Jesus. (See Matthew 14). Jesus listened to him. He doesn’t say: “Walking on water is for me only, Pete.”

He isall in with this relationship.

What kind of God prioritises relationships? Bonkers, when you think about it. That the God who created heaven and earth, the stars and the dirt would want to chat to these people he made from dust.

If you have ever had a good boss, you may understand this a little bit. A boss that listens to your ideas – however rubbish they are(!) – and is actually interested in what you have to say.

Have you had a boss that wants to light a fire and toast marshmallows with you, with no ulterior motive? Just cause it is fun. Not to get money out of you but to – dare I say it – bless you.

It is actually quite crazy to think God is like that.

But, He is!

Here’s up for the fun, the failure and the 5am fishy-breakfast appraisals!

My Next Steps

• I need to stay really clear on what it is God has and has not called me to, in this season. Otherwise, I will burn out!
• I need to show up, do what I can and trust God will meet me in the clueless moments – there will be many and that is O.K!
• I need to recognise that God wants to hear what I have to say; He likes my ideas and He can help me recognise my mistakes. He’s an awesome boss!

I would love to know your thoughts about working with God in the comments below.