Stuck In Life’s Awkward In-Betweens?
Navigating the Awkward In-Between
Life is filled with awkward, uncertain in-between moments. You know the feeling – when a conversation reaches that odd lull and you’re not sure whether to end it or push through. When you’re waiting expectantly for something to happen but don’t have all the details yet. When you have to make a tough decision but don’t have clear guidance on what’s right.
We all face periods where things feel messy and unresolved. Where the future is still unsure. Where we have to walk by faith because we can’t quite see the next step yet.
I think we often try to rush past these awkward phases. We crave certainty, resolution, a nice clean path. And there’s nothing necessarily wrong with moving toward clarity when we can. But sometimes we simply need to sit in the tension and trust that God has purposes for our waiting.
Look at the Christmas story. An angel appears to Mary and lets her know she will miraculously conceive Jesus. What an incredible revelation! Yet she still has to go break the news to Joseph. And we can only imagine how agonizingly awkward that conversation must have been! Joseph reels with shock over her pregnancy and makes the gut-wrenching decision to break off their engagement.
Yet God allows Joseph to walk through a period of bewilderment and grief before sending an angel in a dream to redirect him. He cares deeply for Joseph but permits him to struggle through the painful in-between. Because God’s timetable is not always ours. His plans might differ from what we expect or hope for. But we can trust His heart is good no matter what the outcome.
When everything in life feels up in the air, how do we find solid ground spiritually?
First, we remember that true, unshakable peace is found in Christ alone. Even when potential situations around us feel threatening, He remains steady within us. Our significance and identity rests in Him.
Second, we seek the righteousness that comes through connection with God. We receive His love. We attach to Him. We spend unhurried time in His presence. Then no matter the circumstances, our souls feel anchored by His steadfastness.
Third, we take our cues from Jesus’ pace and timing rather than getting caught up in everyone else’s busyness and expectations. We follow His lead step-by-step through life’s awkward in-betweens rather than always rushing ahead.
And finally, we cling to the promises of God’s Word. We may not have every detail about the future, but Scripture gives us signposts that remind us of His faithfulness. Like His promise that one day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. It may not feel fully true yet, but His Word stands forever. We can trust His plans will prevail.
What if instead of dreading those awkward uncertainties in life we saw them as opportunities? Open spaces made just for us to encounter God in deeply personal ways? Our unanswered questions become invitations for His whisper. Our tensions invite us to lean harder into Christ for stability. Our unresolved stories remind us that He alone is writing this greater epic of redemption across humanity.
May we embrace the holy invitations found in the messy middle places. May we let go of our timetables and embrace God’s. May we rest in the certainty we have of His love while still walking by faith when the path ahead remains unseen. The Christ-child entering our world reminds us that the Promised One always shows up right on time.