Purpose in the Pause
Merciful heavens above the chicken coop, friend. Come on up on this ol’ front porch like you plum just stepped out of a mossy ravine and stumbled upon a cabin so invitin’ even that plump ol’ quail over yonder looks like it’s been rehearsin’ a courteous little bob just to greet you real proper like. I’m plum glad tickled that you came wanderin’ over this way. Settle yourself in real good, the way a thoughtful ol’ muskrat settles beside a real quiet pond even when a jittery lil’ ol’ gray squirrel zips circles around its whiskers like it’s sho’-nuff’ tryin’ to be runnin’ the whole forest. Romans 8:28 reminds us that, “God works all things together for good for those who love Him.” And Psalm 37:23 adds a fresh layer of comfort, tellin’ us, “The Lord directs the steps of the godly and delights in every detail of their lives.” Them verses stand together like two weathered trail markers standin’ tall on opposite sides of a mountain bend, guidin’ every wanderin’ traveler toward the truth that God is workin’ even when life feels about as tangled as a calf tryin’ to nibble a prickly briar patch.
Friend, life’s interruptions never stroll in wearin’ a real purty, fancy ribbon. They barge in like a stubborn ol’ nanny goat tryin’ to wedge itself through a gate that was never meant for squeezin’. We think God is movin’ us from point A to point B, but He’s often doin’ His deepest work in the pause between the steps. Those unexpected halts you never penciled into your planner, those detours that make about as much sense as a banty rooster tryin’ to float across the stock tank, that there’s where God shapes your character, deepens your faith, and prepares you for whatever He’s settin’ up ahead.
Joseph plum learned this in Genesis 39:2, where Scripture tells us, “The Lord was with him in the middle of his interruption.” Not after the prison. In the prison. God wasn’t waitin’ for Joseph to reach the palace before He started workin’. He was workin’ right there in the middle of the mess.
Friend, if you git to findin’ yourself wedged in a season that feels about as awkward as a lil’ ol’ possum tryin’ to nap in a rain barrel, take heart. God ain’t waitin’ for you to arrive somewhere before He begins His good work. He’s workin’ right now, in the middle of your interruption, in the middle of your pause, in the middle of your chapter that feels like it forgot how to turn the page. His hands are real steady. His purpose is mighty sure. And His timing is sho’-nuff’ perfect.
Father, steady my heart when life pauses in places I never expected. Help me trust Your hand in the in‑between seasons. Shape my character, deepen my faith, and remind me that Your purpose is already unfoldin’. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Well friend, it’s my hope this porch chat has settled into your spirit like a mighty warm quilt on a cool evenin’, and now the rest of your day is stretchin’ out like a sunlit hillside callin’ a sure‑footed ol’ mountain goat toward higher ground. Step into what comes next with the kind of quiet courage a lil’ meadow lark shows when it lifts off from a fence post knowin’ the sky belongs to it. Carry God’s purpose with you the way a seasoned ol’ snappin’ turtle carries its shell, steady and unbothered by whatever gits to rustlin’ in the grass. And move forward with a heart that plum knows even the pauses are sacred places, because the One who guides you is walkin’ right beside you.
With joy,
Gwen
