The Land Between

An old saying to help you think about making the best of a less than ideal situation is: “Whatever your lot is life is, build something on it!”

Another phrase I’ve learned to use is “I’m living in the land between.”  I first heard the phrase in a book written by Jeff Manion and at the time, found it resonating during a time of “minor” transition (compared to this season of “major” transition).

Accident recovery is very much about living in “the land between.”  Recovering from any loss or disappointment is about learning to live in “the land between” for an undisclosed period of time.

What you are “between” in the land between?

• …life as it was vs. life as it will be
• …abilities you had and used vs. the new skills you’ll start using
• …the people you said goodbye to vs. those you’ll say hello to
• …hobbies and interests you enjoyed vs. the ones you “will” enjoy
• …inadequate idols vs. a more than adequate God
• …the illusion of being in control vs. acceptance that you’re not

The biggest challenge during the land between?

• To not allow what looks and feels like a wasteland to be a wasted opportunity for personal growth, deep change, purposeful living and character transformation.

The land between is a place where some people choose to spend their time complaining. We see it in the Israelites on their journey between Egypt and the Promised Land.  They spent way too much time grumbling and complaining about how life was unfair and how God had abandoned them in the desert. Nurturing a spirit of impatience for them resulted in more pain and an even longer journey in the land between.

We are hardwired by our culture to get through the land between as quickly as possible but as I`ve been learning, slowing down to explore the wilderness reveals all kinds of new discoveries!

What good has come from my time in the land between?

• Letting go of my need to control
• Appreciation of friends and family
• Forming of new friendships
• Learning new skills and improving mediocre ones
• Increasing trust in God’s ability to lead and guide my life
• Fresh appreciation for how important it is to have a supportive community
• Ability to volunteer my time and energy on projects that matter
• A positive shift in what’s important and what really matters

No one said the land between was easy but then again who said easy was the goal of life? Sometimes the hard things in life are what’s necessary to make us strong and loving people of character.

“Hoping for the best” during the land between is having a future belief that you are getting somewhere when all the dust settles. “Dancing with the rest” is the perseverance required to get through the wilderness one small purposeful step at a time and I happen to believe it’s well worth the trip!

A Prayer during the land between

May God visit you with grace in your season of transition. I pray that the barren landscape of trial will become the fertile soil of new growth. May our gracious God revive your spirit and restore your laughter. May you find him in your pain and trust him in your waiting.  May the one who redeems all things meet you powerfully as you journey through the land between” (Jeff Manion in The Land Between).

When have you found yourself in the land between?  What did it feel like?  What did you learn from that experience?

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