In the Middle 5: Trusting the Faithfulness of God

All believers find themselves here at some point: in the middle, doing the hard work of trusting the faithfulness of God. Not the beginning of the storm when everything changes, and not the ending where everything is restored, but the long stretch in between. As we close this series, you can catch up here.

"In the middle".... This is the space where:

• your prayers feel unanswered,
• your heart feels tired,
• your faith feels stretched,
• and your circumstances refuse to move.

It’s the place where Job sat—in the ashes, with more questions than answers, holding onto a God he didn’t fully understand but fully trusted. In the space where he could discover once again the faithfulness of God.

If you’re in that middle place today, hear this: you are not stuck. You are being shaped.

What God Does in the Middle

The middle seasons are not wasted seasons. They are the places where God does work you cannot see yet—steadily, faithfully, intentionally.

In the middle, God teaches you to:

• see honestly — not pretending the pain isn’t real, but also not letting it define everything.
• listen deeply — letting His voice guide you more than your emotions or fears.
• receive humbly — allowing Him to correct, comfort, and shape your heart.
• trust steadily — believing His promises more than your present circumstances.
• stand expectantly — knowing He restores before you even feel restored.

This is the path of spiritual maturity.

This is the path Job walked.

This is the path Jesus walked in His own hours of sorrow.

This is the path God walks with you.

Between Brokenness and Wholeness

The middle is an uncomfortable place because it lives between what was and what will be.

Between:

• brokenness and wholeness,
• loss and rebuilding,
• ashes and restoration,
• lament and praise.

But it is also the place where God’s faithfulness shines brightest.

You may not see the finished house yet—but the Builder is already at work.

Just as your illustration shows: the insurance has called, the check is in the mail, the rebuild is guaranteed. But today you’re standing in the ashes. The promise is sure, but the process is still unfolding.

And God is faithful in both places—the promise and the process.

The Faithfulness of God in Your Middle

Job discovered something profound:

• That same God is faithful to ou.
• He does not abandon you in the ashes.
• He does not forget you in the waiting.
• He does not overlook you in the confusion.
• He is forming, strengthening, comforting, and preparing you—even now.

God was not only faithful at the end when everything was restored—He was faithful in the middle when nothing made sense.

Scriptural Foundations for God’s Character in the Middle

1. God sees and knows your heart

• Job 1:8 – “Then the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’”
• Psalm 139:1–4 – God knows our thoughts, our paths, and even our words before we speak them.

2. God is present even in suffering

• Job 2:9–10 – Job acknowledges his suffering but still maintains his trust in God.
• Isaiah 41:10 – “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
• Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

3. God corrects with love and for our good

• Job 42:1–6 – Job responds to God’s correction with humility, acknowledging God’s wisdom and repenting.
• Hebrews 12:5–11 – God disciplines those He loves, not to punish, but to train us in righteousness.

4. God restores and rebuilds

• Job 42:10–17 – God restores Job’s fortunes, health, and family after the trial.
• Joel 2:25–26 – God restores the years that the locusts have eaten.
• Psalm 23:3 – God restores our soul and leads us in paths of righteousness.

5. God’s faithfulness is unshakable

• Lamentations 3:22–23 – “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
• 2 Timothy 2:13 – If we are faithless, He remains faithful.
• Job 1:21 – Job worships even in loss: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

6. God invites us into trust and dependence

• Job 13:15 – “Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.”
• Proverbs 3:5–6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; He will make your paths straight.

7. God provides perspective beyond circumstances

• Job 38–41 – God responds to Job’s questions by revealing His majesty, wisdom, and sovereignty over creation.
• Romans 8:28 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

So What Do You Do in the Middle?

You stay close, keep listening, keep surrendering, keep trusting.

You keep showing up with your whole heart—even when it’s tough, even when you are looking at the ashes and waiting for the check to come in. Let God meet you there - not only to bring you out, but to transform you. 

Even in the middle.

Join me next week for a new discussion on the blog and on the podcast - and visit connectmentoringnetwork.org for more resources!