Does God still call his children to leave the familiar and common into unknown territory? The answer is Yes, he still calls us out of familiar waters into the unknown. Here are 3 things God needs you to walk away from today.
The Call of Abram
The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. Genesis 12:1-2 NLT
Abraham had his life all together when God showed up and asked him to leave all that he had built over the years. He was to leave familiar territory for a place that God would show him. God wanted Abraham to follow his lead.
But how easy is it to walk away from people, memories, events, landmarks and places you hold dear to your heart. Yet, Abraham had to leave it all for unfamiliar territory because God said so and he was ready to walk the path of faith.
I remember leaving for the University in another state in my country at the age of 16. I was born and have lived in Lagos my whole life. And now, here I was ready to attend University in faraway Calabar, Cross River State. These were two states in Nigeria that were thousands of miles apart with different environments and cultures. But, I was faced with either adjusting and blending into a new environment and culture or staying back in the city of my birth. Was I scared? Of course, I was. I was young and leaving the familiar for a place I had never been.
God’s call can be uncomfortable many times. Abram was 75 years old when God asked him to leave his family. These were people with whom he had a common heritage and shared memory. And now, God was asking him to leave it all for a place he was not even sure of.
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Today, there are things that have become the ‘used to and familiar things’ in your lives. You find it hard to let those things go. Those things have become familiar territory and have a great influence over your life and mindsets. It may be your relationships, environment, culture and even your identity that have become familiar territory in your life.
Yet, God is calling you today into a new place, a new vision and a journey of faith and trust in him. God’s call is about following his lead in faith, walking away from those labels, mindsets, people and places that have kept you from stepping into his grand plan for your life.
3 Things God Needs You to Walk Away from Today.
1. Wrong Relationships
Sometimes, to move to the next season and phase of your life, there are certain relationships and associations that you need to let go of. It is not everyone that is meant to follow you into a new phase, season and chapter of your life. Abraham’s nephew, Lot was the only family member that went with him into that new season that God was calling him into. Are there relationships in your life that you need to walk away from today?
“He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed. Proverbs 13:20 (NKJV)”
2. A False Identity
Do you see yourself the way God calls you? Or are you stuck with the labels and your past mistakes and experiences? The journey to finding who you are and God’s plan for your life starts with letting go of a false identity. God called Gideon a mighty man of valor, yet all Gideon could see about himself was the little and unknown family he came from and the limitations in his life.
You must thrash the labels, wrong names and that false identity that life has thrown at you and find out what God has called you. It was only after Abraham left the familiar behind that his real identity was revealed. God called him a father of many nations. But, he had to leave that false identity behind and step into that person God had called him. Are you holding on to a false identity? Are you still held bound by your past mistakes and experiences? What are those things in your life you need to cut off in order to follow Christ? God is calling you to walk away from that false identity today.
“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it? Isaiah 43:18-19
3. Wrong Mindsets
Do you have a fixed or growth mindset? Abraham embraced the latter. God was able to paint a beautiful picture of the future to Abraham. And he quickly opened his heart and imagination to see and embrace the future God was calling him into.
Eternal One: Abram, get up and go! Leave your country. Leave your relatives and your father’s home, and travel to the land I will show you. Don’t worry—I will guide you there. I have plans to make a great people from your descendants. And I am going to put a special blessing on you and cause your reputation to grow so that you will become a blessing and example to others. Genesis 12:1-2 The Voice
Abraham could have chosen to remain with his family and live in his homeland. He could easily have made the choice to stick with family traditions and the way things have always been done. But, Abraham chose to hook up to God’s frequency and plug into God’s divine plan and idea.
For you to make progress and step into the fullness of God’s plans and blessings for your life, you will need to break away from old mindsets and embrace the mind of God and what he wants to do in your life. What are those familiar things in your life that you need to walk away from today?
Prayer
Father, I ask today that you fill our hearts with courage to walk away from wrong relationships, habits and mindsets. Help us to let go of a false identity and teach us how to embrace this new identity that we have in Christ. I ask that you open our hearts to see what you want to do in our lives. Open our eyes to see those familiar things in our lives that we need to walk away from today. And may faith fill our hearts to see and embrace your divine plan and purpose for our lives. Amen!
Wrong relationships! It needs to be said more! 🙌🏼
“Sometimes, to move to the next season and phase of your life, there are certain relationships and associations that you need to let go of.”
Many of us stick around to relationships that are holding us back or even keeping us from certain bondages. Some have a hard time letting go because of formed habits with these so-called companies. But when God speaks, we have to listen and obey. In order for us to be fruitful, we must make a choice and sometimes those choices won’t be the easiest.
Sometimes those choices are hard but if we truly want to walk God’s path, we muct be willing to let go. Thanks for reading.
Love this! There are so many good lessons to learn from Abraham! Not many of us would be able to walk away from a comfortable life into the unknown. Thank you for sharing this!
Abraham’s story has always inspired me. Thanks for reading.
The Lord has definitely spoken through your words. Thank you so much for sharing. Number 2 and 3 reminders for me!
Thank you so much for reading.
I love the reminder to throw off the wrong labels! It’s easy to let these labels stick and become part of our identities instead of resting on our identities in Christ! This blessed me today!
I am glad it blessed you Stacey. Thanks for stopping by.
This was such a timely post for me right now! I love the call to step out in faith even if it means leaving familiarity. I often cling way too tightly to the comfort of the familiar.
I am glad it blessed you. Thanks for reading.
Mindset is one I am working on with the Lord. I need to remember it’s His confidence I need, not mine.