Between Hallways: The In-Between Seasons

The Hallway Between Houses

During certain seasons we feel stagnated and not even able to rest. Often, we think of a long hallway between open doors. A hallway between the before and after. I imagine it like moving between houses. The old place is familiar, even if it was unhealthy. I knew where everything was, including all the hiding spots. The new house appears unknown and unsettling, especially to those of us who learned early control, preparation, and self-protection brings safety.

I like the image of between houses because I want to take everything from the old house to the new one. I want to know what it will look like, how I can decorate it, what colors to paint the walls, and even the neighborhood. But when God moves us, He generally does not provide those details. In fact, He often gives us a direction to move towards without the final destination or even the dimensions of our new house. Which makes packing all that much harder. What to take, who is coming with us, how do we prepare? It can become an internal battlefield when we realize the “whats, who’s, and hows” are our familiar survival skills.

But God provides a wide variety of artillery for that battle. In fact, sometimes the hallway is a blessing because it gives us time to lay one useless defense mechanism down to pick up a coping skill.  One such godly weapon is humility. Not the kind of false humility that says, “I am small and insignificant,” but the kind that says, “I do not have to defend myself right now. Even if I am uncertain about the next house, I know Whose I am and Who is moving me.” Fear and insecurity often rise from woundedness, from the need to protect what already feels fragile. Humility quiets that reflex and creates space for God to meet us as we are.

Praise also provides one of the greatest spiritual covering. Not because we feel strong or even grateful, but because we are exhausted, spiritually and emotionally. A simple, “Thank You, Jesus” offered through fatigue invites holy power. Scripture tells us God inhabits the praises of His people. Praise reorients us without denying the pain and uncertainty. It pulls our focus away from what hurts and reminds us of the source of our strength.

Shame complicates hallway seasons. Those of us who have lived with shame and trauma often try to pack everything from the old house, just in case. We overthink. We distract ourselves. We numb out. We tell ourselves we need more time, more clarity, and more information before we can move forward. Really, we are attempting to avoid vulnerability.

The Holy Spirit provides us with His joy, regardless of circumstances, to combat shame and vulnerability. The joy of the Lord becomes our strength when our knees feel weak and unable to move. That strength is not found in knowing what is next or being happy about the move, rather in trusting Who walks with us.

God does not rush us through the hallway. Nor does He demand we know how to decorate the next house before we get there. He asks us to be present. To let go of what no longer belongs. To carry only what He requires. In this way, prayer opens our hearts and minds to His packing instructions.

If you are standing between what was and what will be, you are not failing. You are transitioning.

Talk to Him. Journal about it. Name what you are avoiding. Notice what you are ready to trade. Tell Him what you fear to leave behind and what you want to take. Even if you pack your “favorite self portrait” to hang on the new wall, God will give you the power and authority to take it down when it no longer fits in your new home.

Prayer

Father God, Thank You for meeting us in the in-between places. Forgive us for trying to control rather than trust. Where shame tells us to hide, help us choose humility instead. Where fear urges us to pack everything from the past, show us what belongs in the next season. Teach us to live in this moment, to praise You here, and to embrace that You are already waiting for us on the other side.

Amen.