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One of my favorite phrases when it ties into my message is “If you always do what you always did, you will always have what you’ve always had.”

Many times, people want change, increase, and success, but they are never willing to step out of their comfort zone to the point of beginning the transitional change.

One of the things that prohibits change is not being willing to embrace the new normal. We have heard the phrase “individuals being set in their ways.” This a lot of times reflects our elderly community. Our elders have much wisdom and understanding in what they are doing; they do not run and jump to every doctrine or ideal. However there comes a time when life leaves them with no choice, but to release the known past and attempt to embrace the new normal. This particular scenario is very broad and is seen many times in this society.

When there’s a conflict with two individuals that results in them going their separate ways, when it’s concerning a family matter it makes it even worse.

When the kinsman redeemer comes on the scene to help dissolve the matter and bring the two family members back together it can be a very difficult thing. Until they both decide to release the past conflict, the inability to embrace the future fellowship with peace is not likely to happen.

For those who are building their educational, financial, and spiritual life, failing to release old habits of slothfulness and procrastination will prohibit you from embracing the life of punctuality and persistence along with having a close relationship with God.

Release and embrace are two lifestyles that one cannot possess simultaneously, until we release one, we cannot embrace the other.

Trying to hold on to the world and God will always permit struggles. Holding on to past hurt and deception while trying to interact normally with people is definitely a struggle. This causes people to wear two faces, this is an exhausting lifestyle.
Even Jacob when he wrestles with the angel in Genesis 32:, the blessing he received was a new name, Israel. For as long as he did the right and pleasing thing, he was called Israel, however when he did the wrong things he was called Jacob. This was somewhat of a roller coaster ride in his Christian Walk. This is the type of lifestyle that one has when they are still holding on to the past negative agenda and refusing to release it.

Even Paul mentions to the church of Galatia that he cannot please God and man at the same time, mainly because when God says “yes” a lot of times man says “no.” In order to embrace the directions and command of God we have to release the old and sinful us and those individuals that are living such life.

To make this country and state a better place it may take us doing it one person, one family, one town, one community and one church at a time. We have to release the hate and disrespect, release the color barriers, release the thought of believing that your church is the one and only. Before we can move forward, we must cut loose and release the baggage. When you cut loose the weights from balloons they will float up to the heavens.
Let’s embrace a life of joy and peace, a life of togetherness, a life of supporting, and being a support.

To release “Just let it go, let go and let God handle it and dispose of it.
Paul took release a step further, he said in Philippians 3:13v. he had to live to forget the past, this made him capable of embracing the future. Yes, your future can be much brighter than your past.

Stewart Ham is the pastor of New Growth Unlimited Ministries Inc. in Aurora.