New beginnings often come with mixed emotions. While we long for what’s fresh and restored, stepping into something new usually requires letting go of what’s familiar—even when it’s uncomfortable or painful. This devotional paints that picture through a story of a guarded man who finds healing when he chooses forgiveness, community, and courage over isolation. His journey reflects a deeper spiritual truth: new life almost always involves release before renewal.

Scripture reminds us that following Christ means intentionally setting aside old ways of thinking, behaving, and believing. That process can feel like a kind of death—dying to habits and identities that once defined us. But just as Christ’s death made resurrection possible, our willingness to surrender the old self opens the door to the new life God has promised. Salvation may be a one-time event, but living it out is a daily decision.

Putting on the “new self” is not passive. It’s a repeated choice to live according to who God says we are, even when it feels costly or unfamiliar. New beginnings may stretch us, require sacrifice, or invite us into situations we’d rather avoid—but we never walk that path alone. God goes before us, walks beside us, and empowers us by His Spirit. Because of Christ, we can move forward with confidence, trusting that the God of new beginnings is faithful to complete what He has started.

Main Takeaways

• New beginnings often require letting go of old habits, attitudes, or identities.

• Following Christ involves an intentional, daily choice to live as a new creation.

• Growth can be uncomfortable, but it is necessary for spiritual renewal.

• Christ’s death and resurrection make our new life possible.

• God walks with us into every new beginning, empowering us by His Spirit.

Today’s Bible Verse: Ephesians 4:22–24

Your Daily Prayer

“Lord, help me to put on my new self daily and lay aside my old ways of sin, including patterns of thinking and behaviors that are contrary to Your will.”

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