Navigating the In Between (Part III)

By: Dr. Christy Bee

Photocred: avtk via iStock photos.

This blog post is the third and final installment of a three-part blog post series on navigating the in between. In Part One, I outlined what in between seasons are and gave a biblical theology of why they are important. In Part Two, I dived deeper into the purpose of in between seasons and presented 7 Things to Do to Navigate In Between Seasons Well, three of which I explained in detail. In today's post, I will explain the remaining four things and present my final thoughts on this topic.

7 Things to Do to Navigate In Between Seasons Well

Seven things we should do to navigate in between seasons well are:

Rehearse the truth of who God is.
Grieve the thoughts and emotions you have concerning your journey.
Worship.
Remember God's faithfulness to you in past seasons.
Remind yourself of God's promises and pray into them.
Practice gratitude.
Make time to dream big dreams, with God.

So let's dive into the final four.

4. Remember God's faithfulness to you in past seasons.

Choosing to remember God's faithfulness in past seasons is a spiritual discipline that I don't believe is spoken enough of within Christian circles. It's easy to pinpoint what is unpleasant in our present day lives and to desire for God to do a new thing, however it takes great intentionality to remember.

To remember the times when God came through and answered our prayers.

To remember the times when God exceeded our expectations.

To remember God's faithfulness to us despite us not deserving it.

If we are going to navigate the in between seasons well, we are going to need to develop the discipline of remembering. When we remember, it builds our faith, hope and trust in God. One thing that has helped me remember and chronicle God's faithfulness to me has been creating a book of remembrance. This is a where I name every time God has answered my prayers and has been faithful to me. Every couple of months I revisit this book to remind myself of all God has done and to add onto what I have. Doing so has drastically increased my joy, gratitude and endurance because I trust that the same God that did it then, will do it now and in the future!

Looking to scripture as a model has also helped me develop the discipline of how to remember God's faithfulness. Psalm 78 is one of my favorite scriptures to read as an example of how to practice this discipline. In this Psalm, Asaph contemplates on the history of Israel and how God called them, delivered them and faithfully carried them through many seasons. Whenever I read this Psalm, I am encouraged to think of God's faithfulness to me and the great wonders He has performed in my life. As a result, I am encouraged to trust that God is a God of the encore and will do it again!

5. Remind yourself of God's promises and pray into them.

Reminding yourself of God's promises and choosing to pray into them is another way to navigate in between seasons well. Sometimes as we navigate the in between, we can lose sight on the truth. Doubt, disbelief and hopelessness can creep into our souls and cause us to question God's goodness and His plan for our lives. When we choose to remind ourselves of God's promises to us and pray into them, it helps focus our attention on His goodness, give us hope concerning tomorrow and give us clarity while we wait. As a driver, whenever my windshield is foggy or filled with a visual obstruction like dirt, fog, snow or rain, my visibility through it is no good. But with the defrost/defog setting of my car and the windshield wipers, I am able to restore good visibility in no time. When we navigate through in between seasons, it is easy for us to lose clear visibility due to the disappointments, losses and griefs that come along with it. However, reminding ourselves of God's promises and praying into them can be likened to putting on our spiritual defrosters and windshield wipers, which restore good visibility.

Two of the promises that I love to pray when navigating in between seasons are:

Matthew 28:20b: "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Psalm 32:8 "The Lord says "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."

Both of these scriptures remind me of (1) God's faithful presence in my life, (2) God's compassion and care to lead me and (3) God's plan to lead me to good things. So when I remind myself of these promises and pray into them, I am able to reignite faith and trust and make room for the peace of God within my soul as I wait on the Lord and navigate the in between.

6. Practice gratitude.

Practicing gratitude is paramount to navigating in between seasons well. When things are unclear and we are uncertain about when breakthrough will come, practicing gratitude helps anchor us and cultivate joy while we wait. As we learn to express gratitude to God in all things and all seasons, our ability to navigate even the toughest of times grows stronger. Scripture also encourages us to practice gratitude in all seasons of life. Consider 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 which says"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Being able to practice gratitude in all seasons and circumstances that come is not only helpful in strengthening us as we wait and navigate the in between, but it ultimately is the will of God for the life of every believer.

7. Make time to dream big dreams, with God.

In between seasons have a way of drawing the hope out of us which can make it easy for us to lose sight on God's promises in His Word to do a new thing in us, our lives, our communities and relationships. This is why, taking time to dream big dreams with God is an important practice for those navigating in between seasons. It allows them to cultivate new hope, not in things or opportunities, but in the God who is able to make all things new.

When we choose to dream big dreams with God, it allows us to envision a brighter future--His intended future for us. Consider Jeremiah 29:11 which says:"For I know the plans that I have for you" says the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Right after announcing through the prophet Jeremiah that the nation of Israel would be in captivity for seventy years, God gives them this promise. He knew the plans He had for them and although captivity seemed like a bad plan, He ensured them that it was for their good, and that He had much more in store for them when their time of captivity is over. We serve a God who has good plans for us that are to prosper us and not harm us. So even when the in between is arduous and long, choosing to dream big dreams for our futures with God, makes room for our souls to hope and believe that He will make all things concerning us, new.

Final Thoughts on the In Between

I've come to understand that the in between is more about what God wants to do in us, than it is about what God wants to do though and for us. God delights in using us to establish His kingdom here on Earth and He delights in giving us good gifts however, He also delights in us becoming more like Him and emulating His heart and character within the Earth. When we encounter in between seasons, it is the opportunity for God to develop our faith, character, trust and endurance just like He did with the Israelites, Abraham, Jacob and all the other matriarchs and patriarchs of the faith.

My encouragement to you is to see in between seasons as the gift they truly are to us. As God leads us through our days, He knows what we need to become more like Him and amount to all that He has created us for. The in between seasons of life are not a punishment from God to us, but rather a gift that we have been called to steward well. My prayer is that this blog series helps you in navigating all in between seasons, well.

With love,

Dr. Christy Bee