Leaving the Familiar
Faith Joyce
(England, United Kingdom)
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds. - Ephesians 4:22-23 (NIV)
Before following Jesus, Peter was a fisherman; his whole life revolved around catching fish. That changed when Jesus gave him a new identity as a “fisher of men.” Yet, after three years of following Jesus — hearing his teachings, witnessing his crucifixion, and even seeing him resurrected — Peter was still unsure of his next steps. So Peter decided to return to what was familiar, saying, “I’m going out to fish” (Jn. 21:3).
Often when we feel confused or stuck, we retreat to what we know. Like Peter, when faced with uncertainty, we return to familiar waters, falling back into old habits or revisiting the places we previously frequented.
But rather than returning to the familiar, Jesus calls us to embark on new journeys, following the path he set before us. Ephesians 4:22 says to “put off your old self.” We are called to move beyond who we were before and live with purpose for the kingdom of God.
Today's devotional is available to you for free because of the generosity of our donors.
Thanks to donor support, anyone can read today's meditation without logging in for up to 7 days.
Please consider supporting our ministry. Your donation or paid subscription helps ensure that readers around the world continue to receive spiritual encouragement every day.
Read on the go with
The Upper Room Mobile App
Share on Socials