This past week, I got a new phone and switched cell phone carriers. I’d been putting this off for, well, let’s just say too long. My phone was from the dark ages and even though I was happy with my cell phone service, my bill was akin to a mortgage payment!

As I spoke to the representative, he offered exactly what I wanted: lower bill and a new phone. Let’s go! Within a few days, the phone arrived and the service was transferred. All good…yet…

I was still using my old phone for some things. Why? Well, there were some apps that I needed to update passwords for and… my old phone has a long charger cord enabling me to “reel” without being limited by the new phone’s short cord. Yeah…I know.

I’m holding on to an antique because I couldn’t find five minutes to update a password and I wanted to doom scroll with ease. Ugh…

Silly, right?

Yet – maybe not. How many things (relationships, jobs, tasks) do we hold on to out of fear, complacency, or plain ol’ comfort? I suspect if we examined our life or our calendars, we might find a few candidates.

If we look at many of people in the Bible, we see this same thing: not wanting to leavie the old behind for something new. Most struggled with it for the same reasons I mentioned above: fear, complacency, and comfort.

• God told Abraham to leave his family and go to a new country (Genesis 12).
• God told Moses to return to Egypt and face down the Pharaoh on behalf of the Israelites (Exodus 4).
• Jonah was told to go to Nineveh and preach repentance (Jonah 1-4).

Every one of these heroes was in a place of comfort, living their lives, minding their own business. Then God intervened with a new thing and they all resisted, even though they were each promised an amazing blessing on the other side of their resistance.

• Abraham was told to leave some members of his family behind, but he let his nephew Lot tag along.
• Moses made excuse after excuse. “They’re going to kill me. I can’t speak eloquently.”
• Jonah hopped on a boat heading in the complete opposite direction of Nineveh.

While my new phone scenario pales in comparison to the life changes of Moses, Abraham and Jonah, there is a common thread…resistance to the new; refusal (or reluctance) to let go of the old.

Just as each of the people in the Bible eventually ended up doing what God called them to do (and yes, I did make the switch to the new phone), God calls each of to step out in faith to do all He has called us to do because… there are blessings on the other side of our “yes” to God.

Abraham and his wife Sarah had a baby at the ripe old age of one hundred. The Israelites made it to the Promised Land. The people of Nineveh were saved.

What blessings are we leaving by the wayside? Is it time to follow the apostle Paul’s advice?

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead”. (Philippians 3:13 NKJV)

I’m enjoying my new phone. It’s faster, sleeker, and has some features I’m looking forward to checking out.

God has a new thing for you, so I’d like to encourage you this week to forget what’s behind you. Cut the cord(s) to the past.

Blessings await you on the other side.