Yesterday I put away winter. I washed all the coats, snow pants and mittens; scrubbed off mud from boots; sorted through what stays and what goes away. As I emptied the mud room, opened up the windows and let the light shine through I was reminded of how much work winter is and how much I really love flip-flop season.
Spring reminds me of the verse in Revelation when God says:
“I am making everything new!”
What was before is no longer needed and what will be is on its way.
It’s a new season.
I picked up Jon from class the other day. The sun was shining and the air carried a warm breeze. The temperature sat somewhere around 73 and for us in April, that is a warm day.
As he climbed in I exclaimed,
“Wow! How do you still have that coat on?” It is so warm…. aren’t you warm?”
He shrugged his shoulders and replied, “I don’t know. It was chillier inside the building… plus all my stuff is stuffed in the pockets. It’s easier to carry if I just wear it.”
Sometimes we are so used to wearing what we’ve always worn it seems weird to not have it anymore. The old is comfortable. What we know and already carry brings a security of what we think we need.
I did a similar thing the other day.
I have this great leather purse that I love. It carries all that I need… and a little bit more. Through the winter months I add my wooly mittens and favorite hat. The strap ends up weighing heavy on my shoulder and I continually fight to keep it there over the bulk of my coat and scarf. (Winter is a lot of work.)
But the other day it hit me.
“Why am I carrying all of this? I don’t need this anymore! I need a new purse for this new season.”
I went to my closet, dug through my big bag of bags and found what I was looking for. I moved the few things I really need to this new purse. This new purse hangs across my body. It’s like a hands free device! I don’t need to continually hold it up on my shoulder and the weight is carried better across my body than on just one side. I mentioned to Dave, “Now my hands are free to pick up more things while I shop… I can feel, touch and handle more than I did before.” (He doesn’t know if that is a good thing but he smiled anyways.)
With new seasons, we face new choices.
- We can wear what we know and what we’re “comfortable” with even if it’s no longer needed.
- We can keep ourselves protected from weather that is no longer a threat.
—- OR —
We can take off the weight of the old and head into this new season with freedom and the ability to discover something new.
Trying something new can be difficult at first.
- We can feel we’re forgetting or leaving something behind because of what is changed.
- We can walk awkwardly because we’re not carrying what we had before.
- It can be somewhat scary. We can end up carrying so little we feel vulnerable and we can feel we don’t have all that we need.
Yet as we walk with Him, we will have all that we need.
We can trust Him that what He asks us to do, He will provide what we need… even when it’s awkward and new.
So let’s do this together.
- Let’s let go of what we no longer need.
- Let’s try something new
- And trust Him in making something good with this new season of our life.
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Tripping Over Typeset 
This is so encouraging to me right now. Thank you. I’ve been struggling in a period of waiting, knowing that God has called me to wait and take small (but for me already scary) steps forward in His timing, but facing so much judgement (internal and external) about why I haven’t gone back to paid work again with both my kids now at school. I am used to having a recognized “function” and am learning to again live from a place of love and acceptance in Christ just as I am. That is my “new” (something I faced before when first leaving the teaching profession in 2014 – but that had a more socially acceptable “reason” than this). This describes how I feel so very well: “It can be somewhat scary. We can end up carrying so little we feel vulnerable and we can feel we don’t have all that we need.”
I’ve been following your blog for a while and have been so blessed by your encouragement. Thank you.
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Thank you, Anna, for stopping by and sharing. It is difficult when God moves us into new areas and asks us trust without knowing exactly where we’re going or what we’re getting into. I am praying for you that God will continue to give you direction and assurance of His Presence with you in this season and all that He is bringing you through and bringing you to. He’s always working even when we don’t see it or feel it. Thank you for stopping over and jumping in! Hugs and love to you! – Rachel
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Love this encouragement, Rachel, to move through that uncomfortable feeling so we can walk in the freedom of the new season. Thank you for this, sweet friend!
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You are so welcome, Crystal! Thanks for stopping over and jumping in!
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