Don’t let your hands wander.

Joseph, the eleventh son of Jacob, had his share of the wilderness. He shared his dreams prematurely with his family and was sold to merchants heading to Egypt. He then found himself a slave of Potiphar and in spite of being above board, is accused of rape and put into prison. In prison, although he helped an official of Pharaoh, he languished for 2 years until he was brought out to Pharaoh and installed overnight as the governor of Egypt. His wilderness lasted a solid 13 years, and yet in the midst of all that suffering and misunderstanding, he never lost purpose. Wherever he went, he found ways to serve others and was outstanding thanks to his relationship with God.

For many of us, the wilderness will suck the joy out of all the work that we do or long to do. We will begin to feel that there is no point to doing anything because nothing will come of it. It’s important that you identify the lie in that feeling. Even in the wilderness, your life has purpose. You will still leave a mark on people’s lives, provided your hands are busy with what you are given to do. The Apostle Paul encouraged all believers to work for their keep. He discouraged idle behaviour and empty talk. He urged them to do all for the glory of God. Don’t stop doing the things God leads you to do or persuades you to keep doing. Don’t discount the blessing you can be to others, even if your blessing hasn’t arrived yet. Allow yourself to rest, but work when you must. The kingdom of God depends on your commitment to keep showing up and serving as only you can.

Joseph’s professional excellence and his work ethic made him stand out in a crowd of slaves. You can experience the same favour and blessing even in the depths of your wilderness because God sees every sacrifice you make and knows the price you pay to do what you do.