Lessons in the Interlude

At the beginning of this year, I had a goal: I wanted to have a job lined up for after I graduated. It didn't seem unreasonable or complicated; in fact, it felt almost too simple compared to some of the goals and plans of my peers.

Yet as graduation drew nearer and the anxiety in my chest grew stronger, I began to realize my goal might not have been as simple as I thought. Graduation came and went, and I had to accept the uncomfortable truth that I had failed to reach my goal.

Almost two months later, I still have yet to land in long-term employment. I will admit that it can be stressful and discouraging to apply to job after and job and to hear back rejection after rejection---or to not hear back at all. Between full-time school and full-time employment, I seem to have landed in a place of full-time waiting.

All of us are faced with periods of waiting in our lives---waiting for the next job, the next step, the next chapter. In these times, it can be easy to feel as if we're sitting in a metaphorical waiting room with no purpose of being there, other than to get to the next thing. But I think a better understanding of these seasons can be found in interludes.

An interlude in music functions as a transition between two songs or parts of the same song. They play a vital role in taking the listener on a journey from one musical story to the next. Interludes allow composers to change the mood of the song and the focus in the audience. Though they ultimately serve the function of smoothly connecting two different pieces of music, interludes have their own notes and melodies that make it pleasant for the listener to go from one song to the next.

The same can be true of waiting seasons in our lives---they mingle with where we've been and prepare us for where we're going by providing their own unique experiences and lessons. If we're paying attention, the interludes of our lives can teach us important lessons to carry with us into the "nexts"---the next job, the next home, the next passion.

While I work toward starting my career, I don't want to miss out on the things God is teaching me during the interlude. So, I've decided to chronicle them here on my blog as a reminder to myself and hopefully as an encouragement to you that no season of our lives is wasted by God. As we eagerly await the beginning of the "next," we can find lessons in the interlude.