In the Middle, It Can Be Horrendous

By: Victoria Zangaro

In the story of Jonah, he was swallowed by a big fish . . .

Some of us may remember this story from Sunday school. But have you ever thought about what it was like inside the stomach of this fish? It's not a peachy circumstance. The smell of old fish and the liquids of all the other things the fish may have swallowed would have been a recipe for disaster! And it wasn't like Jonah was in there for a few minutes; he was trapped inside this fish's stomach for three days! 

Those days may have felt like an eternity. It couldn't have been comfortable, there was no entertainment, and the smell was awful! Honestly, sometimes that's how life feels. When we're in the middle of a situation, it can be dark, smelly, and the days can seem like they last forever. In the midst of it all, we may also  think there's no ending in sight, that we have to endure this problem forever. 

If you're going through something like that right now, I want you to know that even though it feels like that now, God has a plan and a way for you. He is going to take you through this and bring you out stronger on the other side, more dependent on Him, having grown through struggle.

There are seasons that are good and seasons that are not so good, but at the end of the day, every season, every struggle, every triumph, every trial, every moment is meant to bring us closer to God, to draw us deeper into relationship with Him and make us more like His Son. As we begin to see that take place, we will also begin to see these difficult seasons with different lenses.

There is no denying that the middle is not a pleasant place to be, but it is an important place. It's here that God can take us to the next steps and help us arrive at the place where He wants us. And where God wants us is always way better for us than where we want to go. 

So, yes . . . the middle can be horrendous, but it is fundamental that we push forward and seek God more intentionally. Jonah really did not have anything else to do but pray; let's take his example to heart. Let’s not get distracted with meaningless things that do not help our current situation. Pray during these moments even more and give it all to God. And watch as those days that we are caught in the middle, in the belly of the beast, may be where we have the greatest personal growth in our relationship with the Lord.