Shedding Skin

Do you know why snakes shed their skin? According to reconnectwithnature.org its because “it doesn’t fit anymore or because its old or worn out. When snakes grow, their skin does not, so they outgrow it”.

As a new believer you will go through a similar season.

If you recently gave your life to Christ, you’ve agreed to have Him direct your path. As this new life change starts to progress, you may start to examine your life and take a hard look at where you are and how you got there. You start to look at the friends that you have, the type of work that you do, and the way you are living your life. You may start to realize how unfulfilling it all is.

This is the start of you shedding your old skin.

This can be a very confusing time, and maybe even stressful for some people. They know that this old way of life is no longer serving them, but because they are not used having someone else navigate their life, they don’t know exactly what to do next. All they do know is that they cannot continue doing what they’ve been doing. You are so used to steering your own life and making your own decisions that you don’t know how to let someone else lead especially because you have to follow blindly by faith.

You get to a place where you start questioning your purpose in life. Is this what I’m supposed to be doing right now? Or have I wasted the first half of my life? What did God truly place me here to do? How does he want to use me for His Kingdom? This could become very conflicting especially if you started your walk with Christ much later in life. You must now unlearn all that the world taught you, and embrace the new life God has for you; which can be scary and intimidating.

Although shedding is natural for a snake it can be stressful as well. The very same can be said for us. You must get to know the new you. Some might say you start to have an identity crisis. The way that you are was mainly shaped by the world, by your upbringing, or by some trauma you experienced. God was never in the picture to show you who he truly created you to be. So now you have to get to know this new person in Christ. It can all be very perplexing. Who am I? Who am I supposed to be? What is my purpose? All these thoughts and questions run through your mind.

Everything you have identified with that gave you confidence and assurance, and maybe even success you now have to let go of; because it was not provided by God.

I completely understand the feeling of having to shed your old self and get to know and embrace this new version of you. I experienced my own identity crisis when I first started my walk. It was challenging, but what helped me was getting to know the God that was now about to lead my life. It took time for me to believe that I was who God said I was, and not what the world created me to be.

During this phase, it is imperative to stay close to God in his Word. Do not try to figure things out for yourself. This special time with God helps to build your relationship with him, and it is during this time that he will reveal to you what it is He has planned for your life and what direction he wants you to go. You can only get these instructions by saturating yourself in His word and His presence.

It is also important to start building your community of fellow believers. Surrounding yourself with other believers in Christ is crucial to your development. Find a church home, join a bible study, have a spiritual mentor who can help guide you through this time.

Unlike our reptile friend we have a helper during this perplexing time. We have someone who already wrote the pages to our book. He paved the way for us ahead of time and can direct us along the way. He is the lamp to our feet, and light to our path.

Shedding your old skin can be an uncomfortable time however, don’t let that lead you away from the one that provides you with the skin you were meant to comfortably live in. Do not mourn the skin being shed and left behind. Instead, embrace the new you. There is a more abundant and flourishing life for you ahead.