A Christian Meditation for the Space Between Chapters
On Transition, Change & Uncertainty
There is a gap between chapters — after one story has ended but before the next has begun. You are no longer who you were, but you are not yet who you will become. This is the between-space, the blank page before new words appear. This meditation is for that pause, that gap, that waiting room between versions of your life.
The space between chapters is disorienting because identity itself becomes unclear. If you are no longer a student, what are you? If that relationship ended, who are you now? The old labels don't fit, and new ones haven't formed. You are undefined, and that is uncomfortable.
This meditation does not rush you into the next chapter. It honors the pause itself.
What the Between-Space Feels Like
Living between chapters has a particular quality of suspension — not quite here or there.
- The old chapter is over but the new hasn't started
- Identity feels unclear or in flux
- A sense of waiting without knowing what you're waiting for
- Feeling displaced, belonging nowhere yet
- Impatience for the next thing to begin
- A strange freedom alongside anxiety
If you are between chapters, the discomfort is understandable. But this space, while uncomfortable, can also be formative.
The Purpose of Pauses
Even God rested between creation and the ongoing work of sustaining the world. Jesus spent 40 days in the wilderness between baptism and ministry. There is purpose in pauses — they allow integration, preparation, rest before new work begins.
The space between chapters is not wasted time. It is preparation time, even when it feels like mere waiting.
A Meditation for the Blank Page
This meditation embraces the between-space rather than rushing past it.
Lord, I am between chapters. The old one has ended — I cannot go back. The new one has not started — I cannot rush ahead. I am suspended in the gap, the blank page, the pause. This space is uncomfortable. I don't know who I am without the old labels. I don't know what's coming or when it will arrive. Help me trust this pause. Let it not be wasted. Use this between-time to prepare me for what comes next. Let me rest here without shame. When the new chapter is ready to begin, give me eyes to see it. Until then, help me be here — fully in the gap, trusting that the story continues even when the page is blank.
After the meditation, resist the urge to force the next chapter. Sometimes the blank page needs to stay blank a little longer.
Making Use of the Between-Space
While you cannot force the next chapter to begin, you can make good use of the pause.
- Reflect on what the previous chapter taught you
- Rest from the intensity of ending
- Explore who you are without old roles and labels
- Dream about possibilities without committing yet
- Tend to neglected parts of yourself
- Allow new desires and directions to emerge
The between-space often shapes the next chapter more than we realize. What happens in the pause prepares us for what follows.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do between-spaces last?
The duration varies enormously. Some transitions are brief — weeks. Others extend for months or even years. The length often depends on the magnitude of what ended and the clarity of what's next. Be patient with whatever timeline unfolds.
Should I try to start the next chapter faster?
Sometimes yes, if you're stuck in avoidance. But often the pause is serving a purpose. Rushing into the next thing without processing the last can lead to repeating old patterns. Trust that the next chapter will come when you're ready for it.
Is it okay to not know who I am right now?
Yes. Identity is more fluid than we like to admit. Between chapters, old identities naturally dissolve and new ones are not yet formed. This is disorienting but normal. Your core self remains; only the surface expressions are in flux.
How do I know when the next chapter is starting?
New chapters often begin quietly — a subtle sense of direction, an opportunity that emerges, energy returning for something specific. Sometimes you only recognize a new chapter has begun after it's underway. Trust that you'll know when it's time to move.
Related Reflections
- On the Space Between What Was and What Isn't Yet — Living in transition.
- A Quiet Prayer for Standing at a Crossroads — Choosing between paths.
- On Returning to Yourself — Finding your way back.
- Browse All Reflections — Find more quiet spaces for the searching soul.