What does the middle of your life look like? I am talking about the hard parts in your life.  The part between “Just Married” and “Happily Ever After.” The part when your whole world disintegrates before your eyes.  

The part of your life when you are working away, thinking you were going to retire at the job you were at, putting away money in your 401k regularly, and then one day you have a meeting and you no longer have a job.  

The part when you think your health is great, and suddenly you find there’s a health problem and there’s some tough decisions you have to make.  

How about when you are going through a hard time in your life, and a pandemic strikes, and you find yourself isolated and alone, without the usual comradery with friends, leaving you lonely?

When I think about trials the word perseverance comes to mind.

The definition of perseverance by Merriam-Webster is: Continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition : the action or condition or an instance of persevering.

I looked to see what God’s word says about perseverance.  

James 1:2-4

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.

One thing I do know is that “the middle” is not a fun place to be.  When I think about the middle I envision a long brown dust-filled road, uneven and with some rocks covering the ground.

I have learned is that when you are in “the middle” of your life the best thing to do is to stay focused on the good things that are in your life. Your friends, the health you do have, the random acts of kindness that others show. The silly things that happen daily. And rest. Read God’s word. Talk to Him. Find some good sermons on Youtube, and listen to them.

God says in Isaiah 55:9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares The Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

The middle is not a fun place to be, but once you are through it, you can look back at that dusty well traveled road, and know that you are an overcomer. Because that’s what God calls you.

I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Rev 3:11