Life doesn’t tend to go according to plan. Ever have the feeling that you’re right in the thick of a story you don’t totally understand—surrounded by where you were and where you hope you’re going? Messy, confusing, often uncomfortable. But, as author Brené Brown says,:
“The middle is messy, but it is also where the magic happens.”
It is easy to feel defeated when one is in the middle of something. Be it a personal struggle, difficult relationships, or an unexpected turn of events, these moments can be too much. What if this messy middle wasn’t something you had to rush through or avoid? Yet, what if this is exactly where God is doing some of the most important work in our lives?
The messy middle: it’s a place where transformation takes place. It’s where we grow, change, and come into newfound deep wells of strength and resilience. It’s where God’s grace shows up in surprising ways, reminding us that we are never alone, even when life feels uncertain. For example, in the Bible there are stories of people being there in that messy middle: Moses leading the Israelites through the wilderness, Mary wrestling with her doubts to become the mother of Jesus, and the early disciples trying to figure out what it looked like to follow the resurrection. All these stories were rife with trepidation and doubt, yet each turned into an exceptionally gracious, teachable moment of growth.
As a community, we are called to be with one another through these messy middles. We show up for one another in kindness, prayer, and wide-open hearts, knowing that God meets us in the mess. When we lean into discomfort, we allow ourselves to be shaped by the love of God, finding hope and courage we never knew we had.
So if you are in the messy middle today, take heart. You are in a holy place where God operates. Embrace the uncertainty, trust the process, and know that in the middle of the mess, right there in the middle of it, God’s magic—God’s transforming grace—is taking place. Let’s walk together through this messy middle with hope, faith, and the promise that God is with us in every step of the way.