LET’S MOVE

Have you read our previous posts on New beginnings? If not, please click on these links and go through- new-beginnings-old-baggage and What’s holding you back?

Are you considering stepping into a new chapter? These are some helpful tips to consider.

• Take a quick review and see how far you have come.

Yes, you can review the previous season and see how far you have come. Taking a review of the previous season is necessary. This does not insinuate reviewing and regretting errors of the past or looking back and becoming complacent at the place where you are. The review is to help you appreciate what went well in the previous season and desire to grow more in this new season. It also entails looking back not to dwell on the errors of the past but to learn from them and do better in the new season. So, some of the areas you may want to review may include your Spiritual growth, your progress in walking in your purpose, your relationship (with family, friends, colleagues etc), your intellectual growth, financial situation, healthcare situation etc. Take note that in this situation, the review is to help you move on and not to stay at same position where you were.

• Make a plan but let God order your steps.

We can make our plans but the Lord determines our steps. (Proverbs 16:9 NLT)

Take out some quiet time to pray, meditate and seek God on plans for the new season. Write down the ideas that are laid in your heart. Also write down some strategies which can be used to implement the idea you have.

Let’s pause for a moment and learn from the biblical narrative of Nehemiah. Nehemiah did a review by questioning his brother about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile and also about Jerusalem. Nehemiah then discovered that the wall of Jerusalem was broken and its gates were burned with fire. Nehemiah prayed to God, acknowledging the past failures of the Israelites and seeking God on the way forward (Nehemiah 1). Nehemiah had a plan to return to the city in Judah and rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem.  Yet he needed some strategies to make this happen. Some of Nehemiah’s strategies included seeking King Artaxerxes to send letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates so that they will provide him (Nehemiah) safety until he arrived in Judah. Another strategy was to take a letter from King Artaxerxes to Asaph who was the keeper of the royal park so that he could give Nehemiah timber to make beams for the gates of citadel, the city wall and his residence. Part of Nehemiah’s strategy was secretly going out and examining the broken walls of Jerusalem and the gates which had been destroyed by fire.

The next thing Nehemiah did was gathering the competences necessary for building the broken walls. Nehemiah had leadership skills, yet he talked with the officials, got their counsel and worked with a team of people with different skills and abilities to attain the plan of constructing the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 2). This inspires the third point below.

• Develop necessary skills, seek necessary competence and counsel.

Carrying on with your plans will entail hard work which embodies putting your skills and abilities to work. Nurturing your skills and abilities could be through formal or informal training, reading or getting wise counsel from people who have more experience and can add value to what you want to do for “where there is no counsel, the people fall;
But in the multitude of counselors there is safety (Proverbs 11:14 NKJV). Also, you may need to identify and work with the  people who have a role to play in implementing your plans.

• Depend on God.

“The Lord gave me this message: “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations. “O Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I can’t speak for you! I’m too young!”  The Lord replied, “Don’t say, ‘I’m too young,’ for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you.  And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!”(Jeremiah 1:4-6 NLT)

Depending of God is ultimate in walking in purpose. We do our part but we must depend on God for fruition of everything we plan to do. Times and seasons are in the hands of God. Sometimes you can procrastinate and think the idea you have is to be in another season or executed by someone else while in God’s plan, you are just in the right time and position to execute the plan. Jeremiah thought he was just a youth and could not speak but God knew he was the right person and at the right age to be a prophet of the Most high.

Other times, an idea may be laid in your heart, you have the right plan and strategies but it may not be time for execution.  In such moments, you put in your best and what you do seems not to be working not always because it may have been a wrong plan but the timing was not right. This may cause you sometimes to put so much pressure on yourself and even get depressed meanwhile, when you depend on God, you know he orders your steps and His grace is sufficient for you. Depending on God helps to keep us away from anxiety in every step of the way as we can anchor on His word which says … ^“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NLT).

Some other times, in doing what you have to do, opposition and difficulties may set in. But depending on God’s grace will help you sail through. Nehemiah depended on God in carrying out his plans and even when opposition arose against building the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah did not stop but continued the work because he knew God was with him and will defend him (Nehemiah 4:20).

Dear friend, God knows you and has a purpose and plan for your life. Your identity is in Jesus, He is the only one who defines you and not circumstances, past failures, setbacks, or opinions of others. Jesus is not confined by earthly protocols, He makes a way where there is no way, He is the Word, and He is infallible. A new beginning really starts with relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ and perceiving the purpose and plans for your life from a place of relationship with God.

Have you made that life changing decision to make Jesus Christ your Master, Lord, friend, and closest companion?  All you must do is make a prayer to God, acknowledge that you have sinned against Him (by doing things your own way), repent and forsake your sins, surrender, dedicate your life to Him in everything you do and let Him order your steps to living a purposeful life.

Remain blessed.