In between times

One of the books on my desk that I have skimmed is a book entitled, "The Land Between: Finding God in Difficult Transitions," by Jeff Manion.  The book discusses how God meets us during wilderness-like in-between times.

I would encourage you to read the book, especially if you are in transition or in between jobs, a marriage, moving to a new house, just had a baby, or had someone pass away in your family.

Here are some miscellaneous thoughts from the book:

• In between times can be difficult, especially when they are prolonged. They bring confusion, discouragement, anger, anxiety, impatience, futility and lack of control.

• Pay attention to how you respond. It is easy to lock into a pattern of embittered complaining, ingratitude, criticism, and rumination on the negative. Impulsive reactions or overreactions can complicate the problem. God rarely responds when we whine or demand that he take action in our timing and on our terms.

• In-between times can grow us spiritually. Hope for the future often is anchored in reminders of God’s goodness and faithfulness in the past. Manion warns, however, that “the Land Between” also can be “the place where faith goes to die.”

• When we look back on transitions we may see that these were training periods when we were thrust into impossible situations to learn trust, patience and dependence on God. We also can learn the limits of our self-sufficiency and experience the need for the support, accountability and wisdom that comes from others.

• Expect that growth may be incremental. “Even if we move forward inch-by-inch, we are moving in the right direction and this incremental progress works to fend off spiritual drift.”