Life is not to remain stagnant. We’re to be ever growing and maturing into God’s best for us. And often this means regular times of shedding the old to allow the new to emerge.
For example, some animals like the hermit crab have to shed its exoskeleton to accommodate its growth – revealing a fresh new layer underneath. And, while perhaps not as dramatic, our bodies are also continuously shedding off old skin and hair to make room for the new.
And a similar process is needed throughout our life and relationships in big and small ways.
For instance, this might simply be spring cleaning or taking out the trash. Small acts of shedding the old can go a long way in bringing a breath of fresh air into our days.
But this might also include shedding many bad habits to become all that God has called us to be. And these habits might not necessarily be sinful per se; they just simply hold us back from making the impact God has given us to make.
Likewise, there comes a time when we might have to shed old relationships as well. Certainly, this can be easier to do when relationships are toxic or there’s clearly bad blood between us. But, at other times, these might be good people, but just not our people as we move into the next season of life. They’re keeping us in the proverbial small pond when God is calling us into something more.
And here often is the rub – we don’t want to appear ungrateful or arrogant, and so we hold on to people, places, and things much longer than what’s wise – suffocating our growth in the process.
In the end, life is a continual process of renewal – shedding the old and allowing for the new to come. Let go in faith – trusting God is making room for your growth and bringing something fresh into your story.
Photo by Ahmed Sobah on Unsplash
