How many of us are facing a transition or have experienced one in the past that left us in a limbo state. Feeling like we’re not quite sure who we are, where we’re headed, and feeling somewhat disoriented. Like ship-wrecked sailors that are lost in an ocean of despair. Webster’s dictionary defines it as: A change or shift from one state, subject, place, to another.

Many want to quickly find a new space to land, but find us just as confused and discontented with the new position, new relationship, or new career path that quickly fixed this period of discontentment, but only added more. We may have resisted facing our fear of emptiness like there was nothing to fill ourselves with. Sometimes our identity feels shaky and now we really don’t know who we are.

I like to give an example of what it is like to be in transition. It’s as if we launched from one dock in a lake to be able to cross to a landing on the opposite shore. We discover midstream that we can’t see the landing on the opposite shore and we’re out in the middle and the landing is no longer there. We look back at the place you took off from and we see it got unleashed and is headed downstream. We’re stuck in this in-between zone and can’ t see the dock you are headed toward. It may feel like we are circling around with no known destination we can see.

Some of the transitions people may face are the following: Losses of relationships, changes in home life, personal changes- changes in diet, sleep habits, moving to a new home by sizing down, work and financial changes. Loss of job. Or simply a new level of growth spiritually and emotionally. God might be taking us to a higher level.

“From the end of the earth I will cry to you. When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I”  Psalm 61:2 We’re always transitioning into something, but hopefully it’s something better than the last place.

Many times we’re in this season of waiting on the Lord to hear what he’ll say and when he might answer. Some might think He won’t answer at all. None of us like to wait, but it can be so important to allow God to work in our hearts to prepare us for the next new beginning.

If we look at nature, we see how it follows along with transitions. In the spring we have beautiful flowers bursting out everywhere. With summer following hot days and full of greenery everywhere. In the fall the leaves turn and then fall off. Only to find winter cold, with bare branches.

So every transition has an ending, an in between zone, and a new beginning. We may want to get to the new beginning too fast ending up somewhere we don’t want to be.

This in between zone is actually a good place to be as you can deal with what didn’t work from the last place or what you need to let go. Do we need to let go of something that didn’t serve you, mourn a loss, or set a goal, reach for a higher level of growth with the Lord, or throw away old narratives that no longer serve us. Once you have dealt with this, we are more likely able to see the new beginning just evolve and find us. We need to see that in this waiting period there is value in what God is doing in us to prepare us for the new beginning.

Here’s to trusting that the inbetween zone will lead us to the new beginning!