The Time of In-Between

In the journey of faith we seem to mark our lives by the spiritual highs and lows that we face. We testify of the “mountain-top” experience, the blessings God has bestowed upon us or some great victory that has been won. We tell those around us how deep a valley is that we walk through, the fierceness of the trial that surrounds our life and the heat of the battle that rages. But what about the time in between the victory and the battle, the mountain-top and the valley or the blessings and trial? This is the most crucial time in a believer’s life for it is what we do in this time frame that determines if we ever see the victory or answer we so desperately seek.

This is the period of little or no activity, the lull as some have termed it, when nothing seems to be working. The worst has already happened, the trial may seem chronic but the answer has not come. In the face of trials we think that the height of our spiritual activity is the endurance of the trial itself. But it is within this simple “endurance” that doubt, fear and even anger can arise. That is why what we do and the choices we make during this time that makes it so critical. “Where do I go from here” or “Why isn’t anything working in my life” may come to our minds. We might have even had dreams that didn’t seem to pan out.

In the Bible, Joseph was a dreamer who experienced the highs and lows parallel to the Christian’s life. Loved dearly by his father then sold into slavery. Promoted then incarcerated. Given favor and yet he was forgotten. Then finally the day came when he was promoted to the place where God was going to use him to preserve a nation. But what did Joseph do in between every ebb and flow of his life? It was in the “in between” that produced the character necessary to fulfill the will of God in Joseph’s life. The long years of living in humility had finally been rewarded. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up (James 4:10) Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. (Proverbs 18:12)

Joseph’s experience is a clear lesson for the believer. Our future advancement, the answer we seek and the mountain top we look for is dependent upon our living close to God in the present times of testing. That is the activity that must take place or we will become like Joseph’s father, Jacob, who thought everything in life was working against him… Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, and ye will take Benjamin away: all these things are against me. (Genesis 42:36) Jacob had faced some highs and lows of his own. God told Jacob earlier in his life “I will surely do thee good” but now during a time of seemingly no good in sight he turns inward and believes all is against him. He thought he had lost Joseph to premature death, Simeon his son was hopelessly lost to an Egyptian prison and now his favorite son Benjamin was to be taken away from him.

What a difference between father and son! Both Jacob and Joseph had been given a promise from God but in the most important times of their lives they made two different choices of how they would respond. Joseph said “God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction” (Genesis 41:52) By his actions you know Joseph had stayed close to God in times of trial and testing and that he knew the trial had been for his good. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.(Romans 8:28) For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; (2 Cor. 4:17)

What you and I do in the “in between” time will determine the outcome of victory or constant defeat. If we are faithful to God and commune with Him during the present test we are most certain to find the answer. When we look back on the trial we can measure the test neither by the severity of it nor by the end of the trial but by our faithfulness to God through it all. Then can we truly rejoice and it is then we shall see that He is faithful.