Out with the Old, In with the New

"And no one puts a piece of cloth that has not been shrunk on an old garment, for such a patch tears away from the garment and a worse tear is made.  Neither is new wine put in old wineskins; for if it is, the skins burst and are torn in pieces, and the wine is spilled and the skins are ruined.  But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."  Matthew 9:16,17 Amplified

During the last quarter of 2010 the Lord began speaking to my heart about new wine and old wineskins. I was familiar with this verse but had never really given it much thought.  After meditating on the verse for a while I realized that the Lord was letting me know that I had to make some adjustments in my life.  The old way of doing things didn't fit in with the new lifestyle He was bringing me into.  

If we are to embrace the "new thing" that God desires to do in our lives, it requires letting go of the old, because the two just don't match.  What do you need to let go of?  Is it a old habit that is holding you back?  Maybe you are in a relationship with someone who is not going in the direction you're going in. In prayer God will reveal to you things that may be holding you back.  As we embrace the plan of God for our lives, and move towards the fulfillment of those plans, we have to abandon old issues, habits, mindsets, and anything that keeps us from moving forward.

Last year was by far one of the greatest and most fulfilling years of my life.  The year before (2009), I was still wondering why it was taking me so long to get to where I wanted to be.  One night while watching a two hour movie on television, I suddenly thought about all that I could have accomplished within that two hour time frame.  At that point I made a conscious decision to give up one of my favorite television networks and instead invest that time into working towards my dreams and goals.  By the end of 2010 I had achieved my goal.

If you have something you want to accomplish this year, take the time to go before God in prayer and ask Him to show you if there is anything keeping you from moving closer to your dreams and goals.  Whatever comes into your heart, make a decision to let go of old things so that you can embrace the new things that are ahead.

Blessing,

Kathy