The Necessary Middle
“ Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and He was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them”
Beginnings are often filled with joy. There is a distinct excitement that comes with expectation. Somehow creative ideas take the form of infinite possibilities and in this stage we usually have all of the energy and stamina required to climb Mount Everest if we needed to. This is the point where the red ribbon is cut, and all of the people cheer in unison. It’s a marker that we’re ready for the race ahead.
Then there’s the end; a sweet sigh of relief, the savory satisfaction of completion. The vindication of all we’ve had to endure to get to this very moment. This is the time for the victory lap! Cermonies are held, awards are given, accolades are received. In this instant everything that we’ve been through is worth it.
Today however, we’re not going to talk about either of these junctures. No, instead we’re going to talk about the necessary middle.
Babies, butterflies, and seeds all have one thing in common, they are formed in dark, wet and secluded places. For them, like many of us the middle can be ugly and gory. Or maybe even frightening.
The middle is a meeting place of sorts; a place that connects two distinct points in time. Let’s think of it as a bridge, with the beginning being one end and the end being the other. The middle is what holds it all together. Like a sandwich it is where the density of the package is contained.
In reality the middle is where no one cheers for you, no one is clapping. Heck, no one may even be watching. This part is usually for an audience of one, a journey occupied by only you and God. It can be lonely and isolating.
Friend, you may be in your middle season right now. You may have begun the journey energized and filled with hope, and perhaps some time has passed and you’ve taken a beating from the waves. Maybe the sales aren’t coming in, the mortgage is behind, the relationship isn’t the fairytale you imagined, the test results are the same, graduation seems a million days away, or you’re in between jobs. Whatever your middle may be please know that you aren’t alone. I have been there too and so has every other human being who has ever walked the face of the earth.
Think about it, a baby is conceived in the womb and then both the baby, mom and dad have to huddle in this mid point for 9 long months. Nine. Long. Months. Nevertheless, one of the wonderful things about pregnancy is that the growth of the child can be tracked. The mother’s abdomen expands visibly, and she can even feel the kicks and movement of the baby over time. Even more encouraging is the fact that there is a due date. A promise. Something to hold on to. Hope.
Perhaps you have no visible signs of growth, and there is no foreseeable due date ahead and you’re weary, exhausted, and frustrated. I get it. But I promise you God knows the date and time of your delivery. Imagine that child entering the world in fetus form, the odds are it would not survive! In the same way, you cannot enter into the beautiful things \ God has created just for you in fetal form. You wouldn't survive either. That is why the middle, the incubation period, the growing, stretching period is necessary.
Yours Truly. Yorktown, NY
Let’s take a look from a biblical standpoint. When Jesus told His disciples to go ahead of Him on to the water, they went without complaint. The fact that He was sending them ahead of Him implied that at some point along the journey, or thereafter He’d meet them. But it was during the middle of the night that a stormp began and Jesus was nowhere to be found. The boat was being ravished by the waves and the disciples were terrified. This is the infamous part of the Bible where Peter walks on the water towards Jesus, but that’s not where we’re focusing today. Rather, allow your attention to linger right here in the middle.
Like with the disciples, God sees your storm. In fact, Jesus was the very person who sent them into the storm fully aware that it was up ahead. He knew that they would be afraid but had made them a promise that He would be with them and He is also with you. Ulltimately, His intention was to teach His followers a lesson on faith, trust and endurance. He was preparing them for their calling and never intended to let them drown. The middle is meant to be a secret place with God, a building place for the infrastructure of your life and soul.
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Beloved, Jesus showed up to meet His disciples in the middle and He wants to do the same for you. regardless of how painful your circumstances are one thing is certain; this season that you’re in has purpose. God has an end goal in mind and this is simply the necessary middle.
