Broken For Building

My daughter received a pair of black boots for her birthday a few years ago. She literally wore those boots to school, to church, on the weekends, whenever she was asked to put on shoes. It wasn’t long before there was evidence of wear and tear on the boots. It started with the ends of the strings unraveling and then the heels  and eventually, the soles of the shoes started to fall apart. We replaced the laces eventually, but after awhile she had to let the boots go because they not only looked horrible, but they no longer served the purpose of footwear- to protect the feet. The insane thing is that my daughter was not convinced that her shoes were deserving of being put in the “to go pile.”

Everyone has a pair of shoes that have been well-worn and  comfortable. The issue is that while the shoes may feel wonderful, they are often beat up in various places because they have been worn so much. They may have scoff marks on the outside, nasty gook stuck to the bottom of them, or just look old and tired. Likewise, many of us carry our comfortable scars, complaints, fears, and regrets around like a pair of comfortable shoes.

We are reluctant to walk away because we are afraid of what will be left. Walking away means that we will be forced to face our truths, forced to face our vulnerabilities and hurts. More times than not, we cannot receive anything new until we make room. And sometimes, these beautiful things are right in front of us, but because we are so focused on mending our old shoes and holding on to the comfortable, we miss the opportunity to experience these blessings.

Isaiah 42:9 says “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”

Perhaps God is calling you and I into a season of new experiences, new levels in our relationships and new skills to propel our gifts forward. But if you are not ready, you’ll miss it and be left holding on to shoes that you have outgrown. Are you ready to trade in those comfortable shoes for new ones?

Lord, help me to discern when it’s time to walk away from my old “shoes” so that you can replace them with something new. May I not fear the new things you have in store for me.