)
National Director Phil Lewis invites us to reflect on and share the real and often painful unfinished stories of our lives and ministry, as we hold onto hope for transformation.
We live in the tension of what theologians call the “now and not yet.” Jesus has risen. The Kingdom of God has broken into our world. Death has been defeated. And yet, we still wake up to pain, brokenness, conflict, and unanswered prayers. Creation groans. Justice isn’t complete.
Theologian NT Wright writes about Jesus’ resurrection inaugurating God’s new creation right in the middle of the old one. We live in that overlap between the old creation fading and the new creation dawning.
This is the messy middle. The space between what God has already done and what He will finally bring to completion. It’s the part of the story where we don’t have all the answers and where the ending isn’t yet clear. As a mission agency, we walk alongside lives and communities where the ending isn’t clear – where injustice, suffering, and uncertainty remain. We don’t have all the answers. We can’t always explain why things are the way they are.
And yet, God calls us to faithful participation during the in-between. In this messy middle, we are invited not just to wait passively, but we are called to engage faithfully in God’s redemptive work, even as we wait for its fullness.
The waiting can often feel unbearable. We plant seeds, but we don’t always get to see the harvest. In fact, when I met with some of our Partners recently, I was struck by their honesty – some said they don’t even feel like they’re planting seeds yet, but simply preparing the ground. It’s slow work. It’s unfinished work. And yet, it matters deeply. Because even in the unseen and the incomplete, we are participating in something far greater than ourselves. We get to be a part of God’s story of renewal. This is a profound privilege.
The Apostle Paul reminds the Corinthians, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
What we do now is worthwhile. We trust that He is at work even in the messy middle – redeeming, restoring, and reconciling in ways we cannot yet see. And because of that trust, we are committed to sharing these real, unfinished stories, acknowledging the pain, celebrating the hope, and inviting others to be a part of the story, even when the outcome is unknown.
In every story we share, in every act of faithful love, we participate in God’s work. The present matters. Our labour is not in vain.
Consider donating to our Christmas Appeal to help support the training and equipping of young adults to step out in faith and see lives transformed through encounter with Jesus.
Hear more stories from the ‘Messy Middle’ with our regular newsletter.
Click here to sign up!
View More