If there were ever a word for where we are at, Kristin Thorp, has written it thoughtfully with conviction while leading out in vulnerability. She shared this message in February at a women’s conference and after hearing her heart, I asked if she would allow her words to be written and used on this blog which she graciously said yes to. “The Middle Matters” was revealed before the pandemic outbreak hit America, but it is a timeless word that I believe we all can relate to in any season. Kristin has become one of my dearest friends and I am grateful to have a woman of such wisdom, poise, and grace in my life. May this word challenge and encourage you today.
Have you ever found yourself in the middle of something?
When I think about middles, I think about a lot of the places I do not want to be. For example, I think about being in the middle of the back seat of a car. Let's be honest, no one wants to be there. What about being in the middle of two semi-trucks on the freeway? I don't know what it is about semi-trucks that makes me grip the steering wheel and increase my speed, thinking to myself, "If I can get through these two semi-trucks a little bit faster, it will drastically increase my chance of survival!" Maybe the middle of an argument? All you enneagram 9's instantly got nervous, and your palms are probably sweating just thinking about being stuck in the middle of an argument. And then there's the infamous middle child. I know this one well. I'm the middle child of three sisters, and there are moments where it is the greatest gift, and there are moments where it becomes very apparent that I am, in fact: The. Middle. Child.
The unfortunate reality is that we often find ourselves wanting out of the middle. By the graciousness of God, He's been revealing so tenderly to me how much the middle matters.
Studies say the hardest part of running a marathon is not the beginning or the end. Do you know where they say the most breakthrough occurs? That's right, in the middle. It is the place where our stamina begins to fade and weariness sets in. Where we cannot see the finish line and we do not know how much longer we can keep moving forward. The middle is where our strength ends and God's begins. The middle is where we never thought we would spend much time. Yet so often, we find ourselves in the middle for longer than we ever anticipated. And for most of us, the middle is scary. The middle is where the unknown stares us in the face, where doubt creeps in, and we question why we even began in the first place. It can also be the place where we think it might just be easier to turn around and go back to where we came from, even if the finish line is an equal distance away.
Life is full of middles. There's the middle of what we're doing today and what we truly desire to be doing. The middle of where we are and where we want to be. It is the middle of yesterday and tomorrow because if we’re honest, sometimes today can feel like a lot in and of itself. We can find ourselves in the middle of our yes and our no... the middle of God speaking and us obeying.
I don't know what middles you've journeyed through and I don't know what middles you're in now. Maybe your middle is divorce or separation. Maybe it's contending and praying for a spouse, a child, or a loved one to meet Jesus. Maybe it's an addiction, financial instability, infidelity, loneliness, or perhaps you're in the middle of wondering if this Jesus you've heard people speak of is even real.
I get it. I'm with you. The middles are hard. The middles can be long. But don't forget what I said at the beginning, the middle matters. In Isaiah 45:19, it says, "I publicly proclaim BOLD promises. I do not whisper obscurities in some dark corner. I would not have told the Israelites to seek me if I could not be found. I, The Lord, speak only what is true." The middle is often the point after God has spoken, a promise or request has been made, and before we've seen it come to pass. However, if we want to see the promise, we have to live like the middle matters. We see throughout scripture that we serve a promise-making, covenant-keeping God. A God that does not leave us or forsake us. He does not ask us to begin without giving us what we need to finish well. A God whose promises are yes and amen and whose ways are exceedingly above what we could ever think or imagine.
The middle is after the Lord flooded the earth and before Noah saw land.
The middle is after the Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son and before he told him that because of his obedience and purity of heart, he no longer needed to.
The middle is after Jesus died and three days before He was resurrected.
The middle is now; after our Savior ascended into heaven and before His triumphant return.
So you see, the middle isn't just a place of suffering. It's a place of breakthrough. It's where the Lord speaks boldly to us and makes bold promises. The middle matters because God things are found in the middle. The hard truth about middles is that you are not going to be able to journey through the middle if you are trying to make it on your own. Zechariah 4:6 says, "So he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power, but by MY Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty." The Spirit of God is given to each of us who are in Christ Jesus. You may not realize it now while you're in the middle but I promise, when you look back you will realize you had Him all along and how much the middle matters.