It’s a Friday and as I am sitting here forming thoughts, we are having what I would call a wind storm with gusts upwards of 50 mph. I think of Dorothy and I am waiting to be swooped up.

We are all living in the now, have lived in the what was, and are waiting for the what will come. We are living in the land between. Between what was and what will be.

The land between is different for all of us. There is a book by Jeff Manion called The Land Between, Finding God in Difficult Transitions. It was pretty good.

The Apostle Paul speaks to this land in his letters to the churches. Romans, Philippians, Second Corinthians, and Colossians, specifically. Reading Paul and him addressing trials and suffering and how he takes joy and embraces his sufferings is challenging to me. Just last night the septic tank backed up into the unfinished basement. A Friday night, with brutally cold weather and high winds. I made calls, but think help won’t come till Monday. What joy! And now I sit here, contemplating and mulling over what I’ve read in the book “The Familiar Stranger” by Tyler Staton. I highly recommend this book by the way.

The section I just finished is on redemptive suffering. Redemptive being the key word. Tyler doesn’t address the depth of suffering as much as he does address our Father in heaven doesn’t waste any of it. That redemption comes back to us in the form of helping others, but even more in becoming more Christlike. If we let it. I’ll need to reread this section again before I continue.

It is now Tuesday.

Tyler writes this book in the midst of a battle against cancer while in his mid thirties. So he writes from a pretty grounded perspective. I can relate as a cancer survivor myself.

Matthew 6:34 tells us not to worry about tomorrow, but then in Proverbs 29:18 we are told without a vision, we perish. So what do we do with this journey in the land between as we seek to become more Christlike?

I believe there is a fine line between establishing the vision Jesus has for our life and worrying about tomorrow. I believe, yes, have a vision, but be willing through trust and obedience to the Spirit’s leading, to redirect when told. Proverbs 16:9 tells us exactly the way this looks. We plan our steps, but the Lord makes them secure. The more we press into the very heart of God, so will the desires of our heart be. Psalm 37:4

There are two scriptures that have been at the forefront of my prayers over the past year. Lord, forgive my unbelief. Mark 9:24 And, John 3:30. I need to get out of the way and let the Lord do His work. A Scripture that just grips me is John 4:32.

But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”

There are times I drink to much and other times I eat to much. These are parts of myself where I am getting in the way. Self medicating to help deal with stress and anxiety. On top of the Lexapro I take, which helps diminish my anger during moments of frustration. I’m just being transparent here. It is a portion of myself I do not like. In this section of the book Tyler calls us to embrace the pain. Embrace the sorrow. Embrace the struggle. Embrace the valley low. Rather than wishing it away, looking forward to the end, embrace it in the manner Jesus embraced His. There we find redemption. Growth. The goodness of God, knowing He wastes nothing. Uses all of it for His glory, our growth into becoming like Jesus, and helping others in their seasons of struggle and need. Bring our season of pain full circle for us, and starting to help someone else with theirs.

How we cope with our pain reveals our heart. In all of our imperfections, despite our sinfulness, Christ our King, knows it all, loves us regardless, and will redeem you and your pain.

How do I know? He has done it for me oh so many times. Helped me with my mistakes, my sinfulness, living in a broken world and all that this world throws at us.

If He is willing to do it for me, He is willing to do it for you.

I am just remembering a part of this section that bears mentioning. Tyler mentions that suffering is part of our inheritance. I read that more than once. The reality is, I do not want to be comfortable in this world. I want to be comfortable in the waiting for what the Lord has for me in the not yet.