“So Eli told Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.'” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Then Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.'” — 1 Samuel 3:9-10
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Do you ever feel like God has created you to do more? Maybe something different? Something new? Perhaps even something bigger? A new challenge, or a new goal or idea to pursue? Maybe it’s still related to your current job or ministry. Or it could be something entirely different, entirely new. Perhaps, God wants to use you on a bigger stage, not because of who you are, but because of Who God is.
Are you in your “middle”? Are you currently in a season where you sense the Spirit of God working but you’re not quite sure what is really happening? Are you growing? Are you hungry? Are you being stretched? God could be preparing you. Solid advice I remember hearing is to “bloom where you are planted.”
Learn to love your middle. Embrace your middle and everything God is teaching you through it. I’m sure it could be a place where you’re not meant to end up. Perhaps you made no plans to be there. It’s imperative to remind yourself that it’s also not where you used to be. It’s your middle — the time of life where God is preparing you. He’s grooming you. He’s healing you. He knows you’re not quite ready. You have big goals. You have big dreams. But are those the same goals and same dreams God has for your life? Craig Groeschel, in his book “Lead Like It Matters,” reminds us of good ideas vs. God ideas. There is a difference!
Grow in your middle. Be uncomfortable in your middle. Be stretched in your middle. Learn to forgive in your middle. Learn to serve in your middle. Learn to value others in your middle. Learn to praise God in your middle and for your middle. God knows exactly how long you need to remain in your middle. There’s no doubt He is developing you in your middle to ultimately prepare you for your destiny — His destiny, your calling, His calling. He is taking you from a career to a calling, to serve Him and others.
All of your passion, talents and gifts start to make sense and begin to line up with His plan for your life. In the middle, you let God rewrite your list. Actually, you throw away your list. It’s not about you but rather all about Him. It’s not your plans or your agenda that you are seeking. It’s not the plans of others or the desires they have for you. It’s all about God, all about His plan, His purpose, for your life.
So again, my advice and encouragement is to love your middle. Be grateful for your middle and all the lessons God is just waiting to teach you. Buckle up, it’s a great ride! Enjoy your middle!
— Jim Good
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