A pastoral letter for when life feels paused
There are seasons in life when everything seems to slow down; when doors close, plans dissolve, or the next step feels frustratingly unclear. These “in-between” moments can feel empty or unsettling, yet they are often rich with unseen purpose.
In this pastoral letter, written to Rachel but resonating far beyond one person, we are invited to see times of lull not as wasted space, but as a sacred pause: a season for reflection, renewal, and attentive waiting on God, who is always at work even when nothing appears to be happening.
Dear Rachel,
You may think that nothing is happening for you right now but I hope this letter will help you reconsider. It is perfectly normal for people to have a ‘sense of lull’ between jobs, once the Christmas tree has been put away and after the ending of a relationship. If we went through life at full speed on a ‘high’, it would be over even sooner!
Time To Reflect
If all your time was about ‘doing’, then you would not have enough time for ‘being’. Taking ‘time out’ is good for rest of body and soul. The sabbath was originally a day of rest to set a sustainable rhythm of life. It was God’s idea in the first place (Genesis 2:3) and it was Jesus Who said: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). Remember that healthy reflection is about considering where you have been, where you are now and what might be coming. The less healthy and less helpful approach is to become introspective – brooding on disappointment and uncertainty tends to be a downward spiral towards a depressed anxious state.
The Upsides Of The In-between
I know you’ve done a few 10k runs Rachel – well done you! As you know, there are times when you need to catch your breath, take a stop for water to avoid dehydration and at the end to allow yourself recovery time before going straight on to the next thing. Talking with your Running Coach will help you consider your ‘running style’, pacing yourself and preparing for the next 10k. This is also time of opportunity to talk with God your Heavenly Father Who is better than any ‘Life Coach’ – what has He been showing you? How has He been shaping you? What have you learnt? How might you help others in time from what you are learning now?
Behind The Scenes
Just as there are many stages in your life journey, so there are many scenes that unfolded in the Bible, often with long periods of waiting in-between. Abraham and Sarah waited for a child to be fulfilled many years after they were promised one; Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers and languished in a jail many years before he saw them again; the Israelites were in captivity a long time before Moses led them out of Egypt; 400 years past by before their promised Messiah was born – even then, very few recognised him. And yet, God was active behind the scenes of all these events in the lives of people and the circumstances they faced. This is just so for you Rachel.
Still Waiting
When Jesus was crucified, all of the disciples gave up. They felt abandoned and so they went back to their homes with disappointment and questions. Two of them were on the way to the village of Emmaus when the risen Jesus appeared to them (Luke 24:13-35). The Eleven were hiding in fear from the authorities not knowing what to next (John 20:19-29). After three days of waiting, the resurrected Jesus came to them and amazed them. Even now, Christians are waiting for the promised second coming of Jesus Christ – we don’t know when it will be, but God is active behind the scenes. His timing is what matters, not ours.
Watch And Pray
Do you remember when Jesus asked His disciples to keep watch and pray with Him … and they all fell asleep when He needed them? You can read this in Mark 14:37-42. The best advice for you situation of ‘the lull’ as you refer to it is from Colossians 4:2 (The Living Bible translation):
‘Don’t be weary in prayer; keep at it; watch for God’s answers, and remember to be thankful when they come’
Ask for guidance and look for it. God will give you grace in the waiting for your next step.
Your Next Step
Being a person with faith, even when it seems as small as a mustard seed, is a great blessing – it means you have hope. Don’t rush this time for you will know when the next thing has come. When you were young, you used to love Mary Poppins – do you remember when the old Admiral asks Mr Binnacle for a report?
‘The wind has changed, sir. Seems to be comin’ in from a new quarter. So it is’
You’ll know – be sure to keep watch and keep trusting even before the wind comes and you can have your sails trimmed to pick it up when it does!
Very best wishes from your old friend,
Oggy
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