There’s a place between here and there. A piece of ground in the middle of take off and landing. A section of the unknown within beginning and ending. You probably find yourself there from time to time. And if you’ve read this far, there’s a good chance that you’re there right now.
It’s the land known as Inbetween. It’s one of the most rugged, rough places in life. Because you aren’t fully here and you aren’t fully there. Your emotions, hopes and dreams are strewn across a seemingly endless list of possibilities and potentials. Door-knobs of wood, brass, silver and gold line the path ahead. But which one will open has yet to be disclosed. In the land of Inbetween, the paths are lined with sealed envelopes and foggy dreams. Emotions run forward and fears hold back. Seams of uncertainty burst at any given second. And if you stay there long enough, you begin to feel the tremors of your own soul.
In layman’s terms, the land of Inbetween is downright scary. It’s a place of blind trust. It’s where the pedals of faith meet the narrow road of fortitude, and movement is demanded though there’s no place to go. The worst part about this land isn’t the uncertainty, discouragement or frustration that accompany it. The true calamity is that God likes it when you’re there.
While He shares no traits with a sadist, God loves the land of Inbetween. He loves what it does to us. The humility it creates within our hearts. The prayers that emerge from our spirits. The baby’s cry from our innermost being that acknowledge utmost dependence. Thus He creates innumerable forks in the road of life that swerve us into the land of Inbetween. Some people end up visiting so many times that they begin to wonder if that is life. And they aren’t far off.
The land of Inbetween awaits newborns as they wait to go to preschool, then climb the levels of schooling. Ah, but once they’re out of classes, there’s a life to pursue. Forks of job placement, marriage, children, homes and travel all swerve us into this uncertain land. At times, people are thrust into Inbetween by mishaps, accidents, sudden deaths and even unexpected fortune that leave them with the plaguing question, “Now what?”
So what will hold you steady when you find yourself walking through the valley or climbing the mountain ranges of Inbetween? A recognition that Inbetween was part of God’s larger design. In one miraculous moment, the Creator of the universe placed you in the greatest Inbetween of all time—the place between this earthy creation and eternity. God planned it that way all along. The smaller lunges forward and backward in life are merely small postcard reminders that there’s something greater than this place we’re visiting. And not to get too caught up in the details. He’s got it all under control. After all, He’s already seen the ending and is waiting with open arms for us to arrive.
If you’re in your own land of Inbetween or about to take a detour, remember that God was the original designer of this journey. Sure, you can get mad, scream and even pout if you want. But it doesn’t change the fact that you’re merely passing through. And everything else is merely Inbetween.
[Margaret Feinberg is the author of Relevant Books’ release, God Whispers: Learning to Hear His Voice]READ MORE GOD | POST COMMENTS BELOW
