PrePare for the In Between
When I was younger, one of my goals involved going to college. I was so determined with this goal that when the opportunity to attend a magnet high school that would better my chances of getting into college arose, I didn’t hesitate. However, while I was attending my high school, I hated it. 3am became my normal bedtime. Hanging out at the mall frequently and talking on the phone for most of the night were sacrificed for good grades. My fantasy of how high school would go was shattered by the reality of tests, research papers, summer reading lists and more. On the night of my graduation, I was one of the first people to turn in their cap and gown so I could say I was done with that place forever.
Four months later, my dream came true. I was able to attend the University of Alabama with a few credit hours shy of being classified as a sophomore. Despite a few challenging classes, college was a breeze. I graduated cum laude and set my sights on my next goal: corporate America. During the period from graduating college to now, I realized part of the reason I was able to succeed in college was due to my high school education. I was so focused on the end result hat I was not able to appreciate the in between to get to my answered prayer.
My situation reminded me of the Israelites when they were enslaved in Egypt. They prayed for freedom. They prayed that their suffering would end. However, when God freed the Israelites, they constantly complained while they were in the wilderness. Some people even wanted to go back to captivity! In Deuteronomy 1:2, you discover that the journey through the wilderness to the Promised Land should have taken 11 days; however, it took the Israelites 40 years. In those 40 years, ideals, mentalities and preferences changed. Sometimes, before God can take you to your next, He has to grow you.
When you look at life, you see this depiction everywhere. Butterflies are drawn into cocoons before turning into butterflies. Crabs shed their shell to fit into one that accommodates its growing body. Children experience growing pains physically, mentally and emotionally. Before we can reach the next step in life, there is always an in between.
So, why when we pray, do we expect the prayers to happen instantaneously? We expect the job, the money, the house and/or the family without the training, the skills and the patience.
I thank God now for the ability to attend my magnet high school. Without that education, who knows how life would have progressed in high school or how I would’ve handled college. Who knows what my life would be now. As Christians, we constantly say that God is omniscient or all-knowing, but for some reason, we think we know our futures better than Him. Just like with the Israelites, He knows there are some things you need to shed, some areas you need to grow in and some lessons you need to learn before He can bless you with your answered prayers.
So, the next time you pray for your future self, embrace and prepare for the in between so your future self can flourish.
