“Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a
new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
–Isaiah 43:18-19
I
remember one of my favorite things to do when I was a child was to go out with
my family to rent a couple of movies from Blockbuster. It was great except for
the fact that we had to return the movies within a few days. It was like a
library but for movies.
Nobody
talks about Blockbuster today. Do you know why? Because Blockbuster did not anticipate
the changes in culture and reinvent themselves to keep up. Netflix came along
giving customers the ability to rent movies and have them delivered to their
home. RedBox came along giving customers the convenience of renting movies from
a kiosk at the local gas station, grocery story, or pharmacy. Blockbuster had
become obsolete and went bankrupt.
We
tend to think that because the way we did things in the past means they will
work just fine in the season of life we find ourselves in today. That is not
necessarily true. That was then, this is now. What got you to where you are,
won’t necessarily get you to the next step. Life is always changing, and
likewise we have to make changes so that we are equipped and ready for whatever
season of life we find ourselves in. Let me give you an example from scripture.
During
their journey to the Promise Land, the Israelites found food by eating Manna
off the desert floor. When they entered the Promise Land however, the Manna
stopped and the Israelites were to instead of bending on their knees to pick
Manna off the floor, would now stand on their feet and reach up to pick fruit
from the trees of the land. The Israelites were entering into a new season of
life, and would therefore need to reinvent the way they did life.
Perhaps
you find yourself in a new season of life. Don’t rely on the methods that
prevailed in the glory days or on what got you out of the last situation you
found yourself in. You will have to learn how to change and do things
differently in this new season you’re about to enter.
The
world is different, society is different, culture is different, the economy is
different, technology is different, YOU are different. What got you to where
you are today may not necessarily get you to tomorrow. What set you apart and
caused you to succeed in the workplace in the past may not help you today.
Things have changed.
How
you managed your money years ago, may not get you the same results today. The
economy has changed. Study habits that helped you excel may not make any
difference today. Education is changing. The way you formed meaningful
relationships last time may not connect with people this time. Social media has
changed the way people relate and connect. The way you have been doing things
won’t work forever. If you don’t believe me, just ask Blockbuster…
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