5 KEYS TO BOLDLY ENTERING YOUR NEW SEASON
1. Find the glory in the current or previous season.
2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV) - And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the spirit.
One thing that should always be understood, is that the Kingdom of God is an ever increasing, always forward moving Kingdom. If you partake of its fruit, you will produce its essence. If you sow into its processes, you can expect to reap its rewards. As we boldly step into our identity as children of the King, we learn that our Father’s desire is not for us to remain the same. He wants to lead us into maturity. His heart longs to take us deeper and deeper into our knowledge and understanding of His love.
If we believe in this process of living glory to glory, then as we mature in him, we can expect that God’s presence in our lives will bring a new level of glory in our new season. Our testimony of God’s glory preaches a more powerful message than any sermon. It’s His glory that becomes our hiding place - our greenhouse - and provides a secure shelter for us to learn about His ways and grow into His likeness. Sometimes we miss out on those gleaning moments because we’re so concerned with our next season. Before you can embrace the next glory, you need to first recognize the glory you are about to launch from.
2. Honor the people that played a part in your growth. Establish gratefulness before you exit.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV) - Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
It’s often our human instinct, when leaving one season and heading into the next, to look for all the negative experiences we had. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine God would pull us out of a good thing and take us somewhere else unless there were bad things He was saving us from. Have you ever thought that? I have. Sadly, many people attempt to enter their new season with bitterness in their hearts. They will look for a way to blame a person or a group for their ungrateful departure simply because they think blame is necessary.
What if there is no blame? What if it’s time to move on? Is it possible that you’ve finished what God sent you to do? Could it be that you served your purpose and God has other territory for you to conquer? Other fields for your seed to lay rest in? Other fruit for you to eat and streams for you to drink from? I believe that as we honor the people that helped get us to this junction, we learn to see them as God sees them. As our spiritual eyes come alive, our hearts, too, become in sync with the Father’s. And if there’s one thing that is needed for you to experience the fullness of the next blessing, it’s a heart that is exercised and ready to hold the faith necessary for the growth to come.
3. You don’t have to defend yourself or your reputation from mistakes you made. Recognize them, own up to them and move on.
Mark 15:3-5 (NLT) - (During Jesus’ trial,) the leading priests kept accusing him of many crimes, and Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer them? What about all these charges they are bringing against you?” But Jesus said nothing, much to Pilate’s surprise.
One of the most difficult things about exiting a season is fighting off the urge to make yourself look better as you go. A common misstep in this process is believing that there is something you can do or say that will paint the picture of the story differently than it actually happened. To attempt that is being dishonest. Now, I’m not suggesting that you don’t repent of something you’ve done or ask for forgiveness from someone you’ve hurt. But, if that has already been done, then it’s time to accept your situation, find the lesson worth learning and go.
There are also times that false accusations or untrue narratives exist in the circles you’ve occupied. This is when the example of Jesus comes into play. It’s hard to zip your lip when people have a different perception of you than you would like. It’s instinctual to want to be liked and honored and respected as you leave a season of life that you desired to be impactful in. But, the bottom line is, not everyone will like you. Not everyone appreciates you for who you are. And just like Jesus, the “success” of your mission is not determined by other people’s opinions, it’s determined by the position of your heart as you walk in obedience.
4. Cut ties with people, places and things that are not supposed to go into the new season with you.
Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT) - No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
When it comes to exiting one season and entering another, it’s often hard to imagine God NOT wanting us to maintain the relationships we’ve invested time and effort into. After all, people are very important to God. And relationship is the very backbone to our Kingdom existence. But, it’s our human relationships that often become more dear to our heart than our desire to obey God. Many of our relationships have been worked for. We’ve fought for them. In a way, we feel that we’ve earned them. And sometimes we believe that in order to experience fulfillment and joy and love, we NEED them.
Sometimes we use our relationships, whether it’s friends or family, as crutches. We surround ourselves with people that we can pour into and that can pour into us. It sounds good and it usually is. But when those people or groups or things become something of a necessity — when they become our source of comfort and pride — we tend to stop relying on God for our direction. And we easily forget that it’s Him that provides what we need. This isn’t a call to throw everything away. It’s advice to use discernment. Is God calling you out? If so, maybe an inventory is in order. Ask God what can stay and what should go.
5. Step into the new season with great expectation.
Romans 8:28 (NLT) - And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Look, if you claim to be a follower of Jesus and believe in His authority as King, then you should understand that He doesn’t send us out to fall short. He doesn’t commission us to “GO!” without first giving us everything we need to finish strong. He is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2). It’s His victory that we look to for endurance and it’s His joy that we embrace as our strength. It IS possible to step through your next door with fear and doubt and low expectations. But you will only experience the fullness of the new season God intends for you to have if you take your steps with faith and great expectation.
The same joy that is produced when you follow Holy Spirit through the entrance to the next season can be stolen if fear and doubt accompanies you. We believe in a God that has proven His love and willingness to provide over and over again. And as promised in Romans 8, everything will work for your good if you simply love Him and are called by Him. Well, you are called. He’s called you to move to the next season, right? He’s called you to trust in His goodness. And if you believe you are following His will, you can expect that He is taking notice of your faithfulness. And that pleases Him. You can expect good things...because He is good. Be blessed.
