Making the Most of Liminal Space
We are all probably familiar with the word “subliminal,” which means something going on beneath the surface without us even realizing it. But the lesser-used root of this word is “liminal,” which means the space between, transitional, or on the threshold of something new. Liminal spaces can feel daunting because while we know what happened before, we do not yet know what will happen next. These times can last for a short period, like after school lets out in May, until it begins again in August. Or, they can last for years. For example, after children head off to work or college, you enter the liminal space of being empty nesters. What will fill that space that was once filled with a busy household?
The Bible is full of liminal spaces. Moses spent 40 years in Midian after killing the Egyptian who he saw beating a Hebrew. He knew what he had been before that incident: a son of the Pharoah, exalted, with a clear track to leadership. But in Midian’s desert, he had nothing and no idea where his life would go. Until God began to rebuild him again, raising him to be a great leader for those held in captivity in Egypt. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before they came to the promised land. Later, the Israelites were in exile for hundreds of years on two different occasions. Again, they knew what they had left and had no idea of their future. The psalms are full of liminal spaces. That is when the psalmists seem most often to cry out to God. Psalm 13 is an example of this:
How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, Lord my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall. (1-4, NIV)
We might relate to this psalmist in our liminal spaces, feeling abandoned or forgotten while the rest of the world seems to be thriving or moving on. We cry out for direction, purpose, and meaning. We listen, but for a time, it seems we are hearing nothing.
The “dog days of summer” can be liminal spaces. Between July and August, these hottest days of the year may seem oppressive as the cooler days of spring are over and the pleasant days of fall have not yet begun. We wait. We sit, and we sweat. But remember, the good news is that dog days do not last forever, nor do liminal spaces. They are a phase, a transition, and like all transitions, they too shall pass.
What can we learn in liminal spaces? What can we do besides complain about our current circumstances? The end of Psalm 13 and many other psalms point us in the right direction.
But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.(5-6, NIV)
Trust, hope, remember, and believe during liminal times. These are not just words, but pillars of faith that can guide us through the uncertainty. During periods of transition, be they great or small, long or short, when it is not clear yet what will be, people of faith remember what God has done in their lives. They live with the hope that God will provide for them again. They trust that no matter what, God will never leave or forsake them. They also believe that God is with them and they are not alone.
Fellowshipping with others during times of transition can help us to feel support. It’s during these times that we need each other the most. Come worship with us at Connections Church where we remember what God has done and ask curious questions about what God will do in our current circumstances. Together, we can find strength and comfort in our shared faith.
Dear Lord,
AMEN
As I am in this liminal space, walk close to me.
When I have lost sight of what I am to be about, provide meaning and context.
When I feel I have so much to give and yet hear back that I am not what others want, remind me that you have a plan.
Please build back up what remains torn down.
Restore my soul.
Make me new again.
Erin M. Reynolds, Ph.D.
linkedin.com/in/drerinmreynolds
Friend of Connections Church
