When I moved to Edmonton for school, I felt like I was hitting the reset button on life. I left behind my lifelong friends, moved out of my parents’ house and was moving in with people I had never met. I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to let go of my old life and start this new one- it was really tough! I had never felt quite this alone, yet I was still hopeful for this new chapter. It seemed as though I was losing a lot in my life, and while I was excited to start, I was also terrified of the outcome. This new beginning was something that God had given me as a blessing I would soon find out, as I could step into where He was calling me, and while I missed my old friends and my family, I got to experience the wonderful thing it was to meet new people, make lifelong connections, and grow as an independent person. Have you experienced something like this? A big switch that was maybe scary and difficult? Maybe that’s starting at a new school, moving houses, even a divorce or a new family member- these things are big changes in our lives that can feel like completely starting over, and sometimes is. Often, we are afraid of these changes, and while it can be really difficult, God also has so much in store for us with new seasons and fresh starts. Our walk with Him is similar, because when we give our lives to God, we are receiving the ultimate fresh start in our new identity in Him. 

This is something that Scripture teaches us, and today we get to read about this very topic coming from 2 Corinthians 5: 17, which tells us “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”. When you give your life to Jesus, you receive a fresh start that brings joy, comfort, wisdom, and above all, salvation. You get to put off  all your old ways of the world- the things that harm you- and begin a brand-new chapter marked by love and grace. This is a lifechanging experience that restores our identity to what it was always designed to be- children of God who are in close relationship with Him for the rest of our lives. 

A challenge though is that letting go of our old lives when we decide to follow Jesus can feel like trying to get gum out of your hair. It’ll come out, but not without a lot of pulling, ripping and maybe even cutting some parts off. We have to learn what it means to get rid of the old way of lliving and live in our new creation- as God’s children committed to following His way. We’re comfortable in the way we like to do things, for good or for bad, and this change we experience in giving our lives to Christ is so full of peace and love, but it can also be uncomfortable. We are asked to set aside our worldly ways and follow Jesus’ way, which is often harder to do in the fallen world we live in. We long for relationship and closeness with people, and without Jesus we often look for this in romance and lust. We long to be seen and validated by people and without Jesus often look for this in success and fame. We long to serve our desires to be happy and do what we want, and often follow our heart to whatever feels good, which is often what harms us in the long run. With Jesus though, we ought to find everything we need in Him- a big change that is so good for us but can be incredibly uncomfortable. It can mean letting go of relationships with people we thought we’d have for the rest of our lives, putting other people ahead of yourself, and not seeking to be the best and most liked in every room you walk into.

This is hard! We want the easy way of living, the things that make the most sense to us and feel the best in the moment. However, God asks more of us. Not  because we must work to be good enough or to earn His love, but He asks us to look to the future and make the decisions that are better for our lives and further His kingdom. This can look impossible through our human lens, because the things of the world look so appealing and so close by. 

But it’s ok that it feels hard, and that it looks like the worldly answer is easier and more available. God doesn’t expect us to just figure this all out on our own, but rather promises to be with us, like we read in Isaiah 41: 10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”. What He requests of us; He will deliver the strength and ability to do. He will show us our new creation that 2 Corinthians explains to us and show us the path to living in it every day. Our old selves are gone! The devil likes to try and convince us we are still bound by the old ways, but this is not the truth. We have a new identity- God’s beloved child. And what God has given to us; no man or force of Hell can take away. We can make the decisions that lead us closer to God and benefit our lives greater because it is God’s design for us- through His strength and the Holy Spirit within us. We can say no to the ways we used to live that are comfortable, but harmful. We can walk in complete freedom of our old selves as we surrender our identity to God, finding our value and worth in Jesus alone. We can begin to act more like Jesus in everyday life, by following His teaching and learning about Him and His great love for us. So, this great change, this new start, while it is big and scary is such an incredible blessing! It is something that leads us to true hope, to true joy, to true love, and to our salvation. What a God! 

Changes are scary. New beginnings are hard. But we serve a God who has promised faithfulness and love, more than we could ever know. Our new identity in Christ is something we get to walk in with confidence because of God walking us through the difficulties of life and the changes that happen. Will life be perfect once we give our lives to Jesus? No. Life can be hard, but now with Him we have the ability to run to our Father for all of our needs, and He will provide everything if we but ask humbly. So, what do you need to take to God? What change in your life do you need to give to Him and trust Him with the outcome? I encourage you to take some time this week to surrender to God your own desires for comfort and ask Him to strengthen you in your new identity, knowing that the old you is gone and that you get to walk in freedom with Christ today. 

Father, I thank you for the blessing it is to have a new identity in you. That I get to experience the greatest change of all- giving my life to you and living in close relationship with you forever. Please help me to see your ways and desire to choose them first, to walk in my new identity and not look back. God, I give you this week, and I give you the new season I am walking into, I  trust that you have a good plan and the outcome all sorted out. Thank you for your never-ending
love for me, I pray all these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.