May 04, 2023

In the Meantime Seasons: Seasons of Testing

Whit and Casey welcome a very special guest: Heather George! In this episode, Whit and Heather share more about “In the Meantime” seasons in their own lives and dive deeper into Joseph’s journey in Genesis 39.

They have open and honest dialogue about dealing with frustration in marriage, their own personal journeys of formation through adversity, embracing the season you’re in, what it means to become a good leader, and more!

Listen to this Episode on In The Meantime Seasons:

Life is made up of seasons: good, bad, and somewhere in between. It can be these somewhere-in-between seasons that can feel the most frustrating. You’re not where you used to be, but you’re not where you want to be. Things might feel stuck and stagnant.

But it’s in these “in the meantime seasons” when true formation can happen. God does some of his deepest and most significant work in the uncomfortable, middle places. So, what do you do when you’re stuck in the middle?

Embrace The Season of Life You’re In

We know–easier said than done. But you don’t have to be happy with where you’re at to let God work in where you’re at. We’ll say it again for the people in the back: you don’t have to be happy with where you’re at to let God work.

There’s such freedom in deciding to stop obsessing about where you want to be, where you “should” be and choosing to say, “God, I know I’m in this place for a reason. I know you’re preparing me, working in me, and shaping me.”

In the age of social media, we’re bombarded by images of the perfect home, family, and relationship. Of course, this curated “perfection” is just an illusion. But it’s easier now more than ever to fall into the trap of comparison and discontentment.

Don’t buy the lie of the perfect place, person, or situation.

We often live under the illusion that the only thing keeping us from happiness is our situation. We constantly move the bar of contentment further and further: “I’ll be happy when I have _______.” “I’ll be happy when ______ happens.

Fulfillment can’t be found in someone else, not even your spouse.

As she mentions in the episode, Heather had to realize this in an in-the-meantime season in her life. She entered marriage with expectations of what a marriage and husband should be but quickly found those expectations weren’t being met. Heather had to come to a place where she said, “It’s you and me, Lord.” She decided no matter what happened with her husband; she would look to God and learned to embrace the season she was in.

No Matter the Season, Engage in Spiritual Disciplines

Take time to reflect and engage in spiritual disiplines. Busyness leaves little room for intentional spiritual growth. But you won’t grow by accident. It takes intentional time, energy, and commitment, and this can be particularly hard when you’re in a frustrating season.

Practicing spiritual disciplines could look like developing a prayer life in intentional times of silence and solitude, reading the word, fasting, and gathering in community.

God is more interested in who you’re becoming than what you will accomplish.

There’s something about cultivating an intimacy with the Lord in these seasons that’s helpful for where God will take you. The “middle places”, though frustrating, are an opportunity to lean into God in a deeper way.

The opportunity in all of this is to become the kind of person you never could have been had you not run into adversity.

Bring your worries, frustrations, and desires to God. Turn to the Lord and say, “I can’t fix this, so I’m giving this to you.” You might have to pray this prayer over and over and over again.

Know that this season won’t last forever.

If you’re currently in an in-the-meantime season, take heart. It is a season. And it’s the very nature of seasons to change.

Your attitude and surrender can often have a great deal to do with how long you’ll be in a season and the outcome. Choose to walk out this season well, asking God: what are you forming in me?

What God has for you is better than what you could ever imagine for yourself. Maybe this season is the very thing you need to prepare you for what’s to come.

 

Show Notes From the Episode: 

Listen to the message.

In this episode, Whit mentions the book Jesus is King by Timothy Keller.

 

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