The Tension in the Meantime

Raise your hand if you have ever felt frustrated about where you are at right now? You are thankful that you are no longer where you were, but you seem far from where you need to be? My hand is definitely up in the air. Our travel through life is more one like Pilgrim’s Progress, rather than Star Trek. There is often no teleportation from one space to another, but a walk from one step to the next. We live in the tension between where we are and what we know is to come. How we navigate these times can often have a big impact on the speed and the enjoyment of the journey.

A Day to Come

The Bible speaks of these times often. In 1Thessaloninas 4 it speaks of the day to come when we will finally “meet him in the air”. Revelation talks about the victory won for us and our eternity ahead. But here’s the issue.

We aren’t there yet.

I remember hearing a message from Judah Smith, who spoke about living in the midst of the sometime later*. He spoke about a crossing the disciples made from one side of the lake to the other; from one appointment with Him to the next part of their encounter. However, there were no timescales attached to their crossing.

When we take the flight to our chosen destination, we are accustomed to having departure and arrival times mapped out for us. Our ETA is planned, and our levels of frustration grow when the carrier runs late.

As believers in Christ, we must reconcile the fact that God doesn’t work with our timescales. I would love it if God worked like British Airways and issued the ‘flight plan’ for my life via a cool app. Then at regular intervals updated me with the estimated arrival at my destiny. He doesn’t work like that. Although through the words of others (prophetically), the whispers of His Spirit within me and the written word of God, He does communicate.

We live in the tension between where we are and what we know is to come.

So, how do we live in this tension?

Firstly, stay in the boat! If the disciples jumped ship during their crossing because they were bored and frustrated, not only would they have missed their next God-ordained appointment, they would have become pretty wet. Sometimes it is the hardest thing to do but stick with it. Commit to standing firm and staying the course. Stay in the boat. Secondly, decide today to draw a line in the sand. Let your will overrule your eyes and your emotions. How strong is your “I must”? In the face of disappointments, frustrations, our jobs not being too great or our marriage being in a tough space, begin to declare hope and truth over your situations. We know that we live with the victory, but there is still a fight going on.

Maybe today we need to make a shift in our approach and nail our colours to the mast. What are your ‘meantime’ statements? Take a moment to put in your response to these statements to stand on in the tension between now and what is ahead in eternity;

What is your “but for now…..” statement?

What is your “as for me…..” statement?

What is your “in spite of…..” statement?

I pray that as you make the decision to keep walking through this journey of faith, the power of your declaration is stronger than your desire to quit midflight. I promise you; He is worth [your decision to trust Him?] it. Sometimes it is the hardest thing to do but stick with it. Commit to standing firm and staying the course.

Adam Howard

Content Coordinator

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