Navigating a Season of Newness

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” – Isaiah 43:18-19

“Behold, I will do a new thing…” This scripture in Isaiah 43 always deserves a shout. We serve the God of new beginnings, and isn’t it beautiful that God never recalls our past to define our future? He is in the business of making all things new. We often rejoice over scriptures like this because who doesn't love a fresh start? Everything new seems to shine and glimmer with hope.

However, how do we navigate the season of newness? As we transition from the old to the new, from our captivity in Egypt to our promised land, how can we ensure that we don't carry the weight of our past into our destined future?

I’m currently navigating a season of new beginnings. While I feel a rush of excitement, I’ve also experienced a wave of unexpected worries. I find myself asking God many questions, such as, “How will I manage everything? Am I doing enough? What comes next? What will this new season look like for me? How do I take care of what I have? Am I even being a good steward? What will this cost me?” The list of questions goes on and on.

The fact that I’ve started to rationalize this miraculous season of newness highlights my humanity rather than my shortcomings. As humans, we tend to be very rational and realistic, but often, new seasons require us to be not only rational but also spiritually aware and discerning. 

There are a few things I’d like to share with you that will hopefully help you navigate your season of newness, as God has been helping me navigate mine. 

1. It’s okay to ask questions

2. Understand God expands capacity

3. Newness demands new availability for God’s use

4. Glance at the past, fix your eyes on the future

5. New seasons require new methods

It’s Okay to Ask Questions

God loves your questions. Your curiosity can lead to an expansion of your faith and a deeper understanding of His character. Your questions don’t intimidate God. Remember, you are human, and He expects you to wonder. It can be difficult to embrace the excitement of newness while also reconciling the limitations of our humanity and past experiences. Can you think of a time when God brought you into a new season? This could have been a new responsibility, opportunity, title, or place. Whatever it was, it required something new from you that you might not have known you had within you. The challenges of this new season often lead us back to God with questions. 

I believe that God delights in our questions because they require us to be vulnerable and desperate. When we come to God and say, "Lord, I know You've given me this, but I can't do it on my own... How? Why? Where? When?" we are expressing our need for Him. It's important to bring these questions to the throne of grace and receive His sufficiency for the new season we are entering.

The truth is, I’ve often found that when we ask God these questions, He doesn’t always provide direct answers. Instead, He leaves us in a state of wonder, and many times, we receive clarity, direction, and instruction as we continue moving forward on the path He has carved out for us. It is possible to navigate a new season without knowing the way, while still trusting God in the midst of uncertainty. To be honest, I believe that’s the whole point. 

Understand God Expands Capacity

You must expand! The definition of capacity is the maximum amount that something can hold. What is your maximum? Some of the questions we ask God are really about our capacity. We might ask, "God, do I even have the capacity for this if I'm already doing so much? I know this is what I asked for but..." However, if God has given you something new, He has also equipped you with the capacity to handle it. The truth is that God knows what you are made of. He is the one who formed you! Don’t let doubt hinder your growth. If God has brought you into a new phase in your life, understand that this new chapter will require an upgraded and expanded version of yourself.

Your responsibility is to be malleable and adaptable. Just as a potter shapes clay, are you allowing God to mold you? Navigating change and embracing new responsibilities will involve discomfort and uncertainty. However, it’s essential to remain confident in God’s ability to guide you. Expanding your capacity may require change, which could mean that certain things need to be sacrificed during this season for your growth to flourish. What are you willing to give up? What changes are necessary for you to succeed in this season?

Newness Demands New Availability for God’s Use

God, how do you want to use me in this season? Where am I most effective? I believe these are two questions to pray on. Whenever you are navigating newness, you’ll find that God desires new availability for His use. How can you be sure in what ways to make yourself available if you don’t understand how he intends to use you? What worked for you in previous seasons may not be effective this time around. It’s quite likely that your availability has shifted. Seek the Lord concerning how to remain available as His servant and His vessel. 

As seasons change, the way you serve God and others can also shift. If you don’t seek guidance from the Lord early on, you may find yourself frustrated when your new responsibilities require you to let go of your previous ways of serving. Serving God is fluid and dynamic. There's a purposeful flow and a way to go about it in every season. Inquire of the Lord how you can avail yourself for His use now, and allow Him to lead you accordingly!

Glance at the Past, Fix Your Eyes on the Future

In Isaiah 43, it says that we shouldn’t remember the former things. God doesn’t want us to dwell on the past. The past has passed. I encourage you to glance at the past and acknowledge how far God has brought you. In new seasons, it's easy to forget what God has delivered you from. Now that you have been blessed, make sure you don’t forget those struggles. Take a moment to look back, remember, and say thank you, Jesus! However, fix your eyes on the future. Be goal-oriented and driven by what lies ahead. Let your aspirations and God’s promises inspire you to move forward. When you concentrate on the future, you cultivate hope, knowing that better things await ahead!

Sometimes, it can be hard to get over the past. Even past good things like past achievements and accomplishments. But how can you fully behold the new with your hands full of the old? You must let go!

New Seasons Require New Methods

God has brought you into a new season, but it is your responsibility to be a good steward. Consider what new methods, focuses, disciplines, and practices this season requires. What schedule do you need to implement to thrive? Understanding the necessary methods may involve research, trial and error, and seeking wise counsel. Is there someone you know, like a mentor or leader, who has successfully navigated a similar season? If so, reach out to them for wise counsel immediately!

Change is inevitable. Shift your methods before it’s too late and costs you time, energy, and excellence. Successfully navigating new challenges requires you to be open to change. Similar to remaining available to God’s use, the old methods may cause frustration and confusion for you. Utilizing research and wise counsel is key to preventing unnecessary errors and pitfalls. New businesses require new strategies, new jobs require new schedules, and new relationships require new vulnerability.

Are you ready to embark on the new path God has destined for you? With all the excitement, there’s still ample uncertainty. But with God, wisdom, and strategy, you can excel and exceed expectations! Don’t limit yourself to what was – embrace what is, and what’s to come. Remain present and expectant, and remember, He who began this good work in you will surely finish it! 

Key Scripture on Newness

“Yes indeed, it won’t be long now.” GOD’s Decree. “Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills. I’ll make everything right again for my people Israel: “They’ll rebuild their ruined cities. They’ll plant vineyards and drink good wine. They’ll work their gardens and eat fresh vegetables. And I’ll plant them, plant them on their own land. They’ll never again be uprooted from the land I’ve given them.” GOD, your God, says so.” – Amos 9:13-15 MSG