To go or to leave. They seem the same, but there is a difference. God can prompt and lead both. One is to go out of and toward another place. The other is to leave something behind.

We need to leave behind what God intends for us to leave behind, that which burdens, preoccupies, or dirties us. Let God filter everything so that you only take forward what he intends to use. We will need some things as we go, but we will not need some things as we leave. We can only see the difference when we trust God to oversee the packing process. As we trust him, he will not lead us through situations for which he has not prepared us, although it will often feel that way. Those feelings are often a prompt, a reminder that we can choose to trust God yet again.

Along the way, we will face some of our old problems. Remember, you are not the same person as you were the last time you dealt with it. Again, our feelings will betray us. It often feels the same, but we’ve changed in the meantime.

Old problem, new person.