I love analogies! I get hype when I find the connections between two different things. That's why I really enjoy parables, which is a type of analogy often defined as earthly stories with heavenly meanings. They make the simple things in life seem so profound!
I was on my way to Raleigh last Saturday, riding on I-40E. Starting around Exit 293, I believe, the Division of Highways has begun to widen the highway. Cosmetically, in order to widen it, they needed to remove the white lines and pavement reflectors indicating the old lanes to then put down the new lines and reflectors to indicate the new lanes. I'm assuming that the pavement underneath the lines and reflectors had to be torn up in order to remove them because the highway was scarred. You can still see the imprints of the old lines and reflectors. Driving on this new highway was a little scary because riding on the scarred part makes you feel like your tires aren't steady. I felt like I was about to wobble over into the next lane. The sound of the tires riding over those imprints makes it worse; it sounds like your tires are being destroyed. I found myself and other drivers just staying in the lane that was there before. However, that was tiresome because I felt like I was driving too close to the drivers on my right. So then I tried to drive outside of the scarred part of the rode which used to indicate the outside of the former lane which was (if not for the scarring) the best place to drive in the new lane. It sounded horrible!! And I felt like I was wobbling, but...eventually the scarring ended and I was on the part of the highway that wasn't being expanded.
Life connection:
When you are trying to do something new, it's sometimes hard to do because of the imprints or residue of what was already in place before. The imprints of things like fear, old mindsets, or sin patterns, perhaps, are still lingering which makes it hard to have courage, to think differently, or do what's right. Those patterns of fear, doubt, worry, etc. are imprinted in your heart and your mind and it's difficult to get on the path of victory, authority, and confidence; the path that God desires you to travel. In order for you to be able to get on the new path, your faith has to expand. The expansion of your faith requires the tearing up of the former mindsets, fear, sin, or whatever else entangled you. You have to lay aside those things (Hebrews 12:1). Those things will leave a residue, initially, but you must constantly repent and ask God for help. You also have to renew your mind (Romans 12:2) and cast down every wrong thought, everything that is not of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). At first it's going to seem strange. You may find it hard to walk in the newness of life because the scars of your old way of life are still there. But you must stand firmly, with authority and the assurance that you have victory over those things. You may want to run from the scars because they make you feel uneasy and makes it hard to consistently and confidently walk out the new you, but be encouraged; the scars will soon heal! Remain on the scarred path, just know that after some time you will have conquered those things and will have moved on to the next venture of life.
Challenge:
If you are making moves to step out of something old into something different, keep going! Venture into that new career, chase that dream, walk into freedom from addiction, step into confidence, love again...! Be okay with the new things God is doing. He'll help you work through the residue of your past. Just move forward; things will get better!
I was on my way to Raleigh last Saturday, riding on I-40E. Starting around Exit 293, I believe, the Division of Highways has begun to widen the highway. Cosmetically, in order to widen it, they needed to remove the white lines and pavement reflectors indicating the old lanes to then put down the new lines and reflectors to indicate the new lanes. I'm assuming that the pavement underneath the lines and reflectors had to be torn up in order to remove them because the highway was scarred. You can still see the imprints of the old lines and reflectors. Driving on this new highway was a little scary because riding on the scarred part makes you feel like your tires aren't steady. I felt like I was about to wobble over into the next lane. The sound of the tires riding over those imprints makes it worse; it sounds like your tires are being destroyed. I found myself and other drivers just staying in the lane that was there before. However, that was tiresome because I felt like I was driving too close to the drivers on my right. So then I tried to drive outside of the scarred part of the rode which used to indicate the outside of the former lane which was (if not for the scarring) the best place to drive in the new lane. It sounded horrible!! And I felt like I was wobbling, but...eventually the scarring ended and I was on the part of the highway that wasn't being expanded.
Life connection:
When you are trying to do something new, it's sometimes hard to do because of the imprints or residue of what was already in place before. The imprints of things like fear, old mindsets, or sin patterns, perhaps, are still lingering which makes it hard to have courage, to think differently, or do what's right. Those patterns of fear, doubt, worry, etc. are imprinted in your heart and your mind and it's difficult to get on the path of victory, authority, and confidence; the path that God desires you to travel. In order for you to be able to get on the new path, your faith has to expand. The expansion of your faith requires the tearing up of the former mindsets, fear, sin, or whatever else entangled you. You have to lay aside those things (Hebrews 12:1). Those things will leave a residue, initially, but you must constantly repent and ask God for help. You also have to renew your mind (Romans 12:2) and cast down every wrong thought, everything that is not of God (2 Corinthians 10:5). At first it's going to seem strange. You may find it hard to walk in the newness of life because the scars of your old way of life are still there. But you must stand firmly, with authority and the assurance that you have victory over those things. You may want to run from the scars because they make you feel uneasy and makes it hard to consistently and confidently walk out the new you, but be encouraged; the scars will soon heal! Remain on the scarred path, just know that after some time you will have conquered those things and will have moved on to the next venture of life.
Challenge:
If you are making moves to step out of something old into something different, keep going! Venture into that new career, chase that dream, walk into freedom from addiction, step into confidence, love again...! Be okay with the new things God is doing. He'll help you work through the residue of your past. Just move forward; things will get better!
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