LET THE ADVENTURE BEGIN
By Pastor Justin and Jacquie Ryan
Do you remember the time you sat inside a new car? Wasn’t the smell of newness amazing…even if it would only last about a week? How about the feel of a new book as you open it? New clothes, shoes, bag, house….. I could just go on and on…but you know what I mean. There is a way our body reacts to something new and fresh. Humans are very much engineered for fresh starts. Our brain is hardwired to respond to new stimuli as a part of a learning process. In the same way, I believe, our human spirit is also drawn to new and fresh beginnings.
Our brain is not just one blob of tissue. Our brain is made up of billions of nerve cells called neurons. These cells are pretty chatty and like to “talk” to each other. Each time we learn something new, they start sending messages, and they become more efficient in the process. Our brain does not ever shut down, so when we get a good night’s sleep, our cells are still working, storing information and developing the learning process.
Countless times in the Bible, we see God speaking about the necessary newness even in our spirit man and walking with God. Psalm 40:3 says that “He puts a new song in my mouth” God knows that even when something new can flow from our mouths, it does something within our spirit. Ezekiel 11:19 says, “I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them. I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.” God reminds us ever so often that He is in the business of doing new things in our lives. He never wants us to stay in our comfort zone or remain in a rut of just repeating the old habits and patterns.
God reminds us in Isaiah 43:19 that God’s way of working in our lives is always to open up new things for us, like roadways in the wilderness. It is never to make things uncomfortable but to challenge us to move and discover the potential in our lives that perhaps we never even knew we had. If we can enjoy newness in the natural, can I challenge you today to do the same even in the spiritual? Be open to what God wants to pour into you for 2022.
Each time we buy new clothes, we never wear them over the old ones. We remove the old and then enjoy the fresh feel of the fabric of something new. Imagine taking our old handbag and putting it into our new handbag and walking around. That would indeed seem absurd to anyone. We all know that we need to create space by removing the old to make way for the new. I believe that is what Paul had in mind when he wrote to the church in Ephesus. In Ephesians 4:22-24, he writes, “You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds, and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
This is the keyword that I wish to encourage you with today. We are all called to be made new in the attitude of our minds. Believe it or not, it all starts with the mind. An athlete does not make it to the Olympics only because of his coach or all his training. It starts with him wanting to be an Olympic champion. They have to want it first. Everyone or everything else is merely a support system to help him get to his goal.
There are things that God is preparing for you in 2022. Something that will challenge you to look deeper within yourself and move you forward into new realms of opportunities. God is the perfect gentleman who will never force or push His way into anything. He challenges us and opens doors of opportunity, but it is up to us to make a choice to step into it or close the door and walk away.
The paragraphs that follow will not be a 3 or 4 step plan on stepping into the new. If you buy a new pair of shoes, does it come with a booklet of instructions? Imagine this ….
Step 1 – Remove old shoe
Step 2 – Choose to either dispose of it or give it away.
Step 3 – If giving it away, place it in a presentable bag.
Step 4 – Open new box
Step 5 – Remove all labels attached.
Step 6 – Slip in one foot, followed by the other.
Step 7 – Stand up and walkabout.
Step 8 – Smile…!!
Likewise, no steps are needed to embrace the new. The main thing is that you have to want it. God has something new planned for each one of us for 2022. There may have been things that did not work out the way you envisioned this year. Sometimes the mistake we make is to try doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results. Could God be challenging you to view things differently for the new year? Could He be moving you into uncharted territories to explore new things and discover hidden potential within you?
Has God placed a burden within you to do something new and fresh for 2022? Perhaps it’s to start a new business, switch in career, or relook at a relationship? If the Holy Spirit is nudging you in that direction, take a step of faith. Go where God is leading you. Moses had no leadership experience, nor did he have a degree in management. He just moved as the Lord led him. Peter was just a simple fisherman who walked with Jesus for three years. He never went to Bible School (not saying Bible School is unimportant…it indeed is).
When God wants to give you a new beginning, it always starts with an ending. When a door closes, don’t stand and sulk. Just run to God and ask Him, “So where is the next door, God?” A new beginning is a blessing from God; we push forward without repeating past mistakes. Helen Steiner Rice was a famous Christian author and poet. Her words are simple yet remarkable. Allow this to resonate within you as you ask God about your new beginnings. Every new beginning is filled with surprises…so let the adventure begin!
About the Ryans
The Ryans have been involved in the mission field for more than a decade. In 2013, the Lord led them to found Issachar Academy where they provide training specifically for missions in a hospitable environment. Besides missions, the Ryans also help Christians recognise and move in their seasons with God.
