Welcome | Thank you for tuning into Beloved Women’s Radio providing you with your regular dose of devotion, girl talk, and love. I am your host Christina Patterson and I would like to welcome you to the show. This month’s theme for Beloved Women is rest. In conjunction with this theme, today’s lesson is titled “Trusting God with your Success”. This is just a short lesson I learned about resting in God last year but I know it will be a help to anyone feeling their calling or task is overwhelming.
Scripture | “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:7-9
Quick Lesson | Right now I am a work-at-home mom and it certainly has its challenges, especially when it comes to time management. You want a healthy balance between spending time with family and working towards your professional goals. Unfortunately, in today’s society we are bombarded with messages that tell us in order to be successful you must work your fingers to the bones, work a vast amount of overtime, and sleep? Who needs it? (Me!)
Often people do a lot of work without actually getting much accomplished. This is because they try to follow the world’s methods of obtaining success. Do not get me wrong. I believe in the value of hard work, but my recent studies in God’s word have also made me a true believer in the value of resting in God.
For the past few months I have been studying the book of Joshua. Joshua was called by God to lead God’s people from the wilderness into a land they would call home, their Promised Land. Although this was a land God promised to give them, there were still obstacles they would have to overcome before they could enter the land. Mainly the land was already occupied.
God’s people would need to take over the people already in the land before they could claim it for themselves and settle there. Joshua’s job was threefold. One, he would enter the promise land. Two, he would conquer the land. Three, he would divide the land among God’s people.
He had a great task before him, especially following in the footsteps of Moses who lead the people out of slavery and during their time in the wilderness. To prepare Joshua for this calling God tells him to do two main things: be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:6-7,9) and be careful to follow God’s law (Joshua 1:7-8). Then God tells Joshua he will have success.
This is an excellent model for us to follow today. Being obedient to these two calls from God requires a focus that you will not cultivate in an environment where you are running yourself thin. Working your fingers to the bone will not give time to spend with God, to listen to Him, to glean from His strength. It will certainly not give you the opportunity to trust God in moments of rest.
In fact, overworking often results from a lack of trust in God. When we know that God is working behind the scenes, that He is faithful to see His promises to completion, and that He has our best interest in mind we can confidently do our best, and let God do the rest. God told Joshua, “only be strong and courageous”. (Joshua 1:7)
God did not tell him to study military strategy all day and night. Instead God said meditate on my word day and night. (Joshua 1:8) God did not tell Joshua how big the giants were. Instead He said only be strong. (Joshua 1:7)
God does not want our efforts towards success to be done out of fear, entitlement, obligation, or for our own glory. Our efforts towards success should be for His glory. He receives the most glory when we stop operating out of fear, stop controlling, stop manipulating and give Him space to work through us.
We can do our part and then we can rest assured He will do His. The world may make you feel the only road to success is paved with intense levels of work leaving no room for rest. God, on the other hand, requires a healthy balance between the two.
As a work-at-home mom this message took a huge load off my shoulders. Before, I felt pressure to work harder than necessary to be successful. Now, I am free knowing I am doing my part, and God is doing His. Ironically, since then I have been more productive and have accomplished more than I could have ever imagined. Glory to God alone! I hope you too find peace and balance in trusting God with your success.
Prayer | Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for the purpose and calling on our lives. However, may our focus always be You and not our success. Please help us to trust you and rest in You with all that we do. Thank You that we can rest in the fact that You have everything under control. In Jesus Christ Name we pray, Amen.
An Invitation | To experience God’s rest and peace you will need a personal relationship with God. Our sin however prevents us from having that relationship. Since God is holy He cannot allow sin to go unpunished and the result of our sin leads to death. But God still wants to be in relationship with us so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die in our place. Yes, He really loves us that much. That is why we are called His Beloved. Now instead of death, anyone who places their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord of their life and Savior from their sins will be saved. We invite you to begin a relationship with God through faith in Christ by praying this prayer:
“Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life. I ask your forgiveness and now turn from everything which I know is wrong. Thank you for dying on the cross for me to set me free from my sins. Please come into my life and fill me with your Holy Spirit and be with me forever. Thank you Lord Jesus, Amen.”
Closing | Thank you for tuning into another Beloved Women’s Radio show. I hope it was a blessing to you. Please connect with us, we’re on Facebook and Twitter. You can get all our contact information and so much more at www.belovedwomen.org. I’m your host Christina Patterson encouraging you to be beautiful, be blessed, and beloved!
