New chapters are always exciting. I can’t count the number of nights I’ve stayed up too late because I couldn’t wait to see what the next chapter would bring in the book I was reading. There is an excitement in wondering where the story will lead next. What unexpected twists might we encounter when we turn the page? Our life is an ever unfolding story, and just like a great book, new chapters present exciting opportunities if we only dare to turn the page. New chapters are like new beginnings. We have put the previous ones behind us and there’s no going back. We must move forward to discover how things will play out.
It’s interesting that when we are wrapped up in a great read we cannot wait to turn to the next chapter, while in our own stories we often hesitate to jump into it. Instead of excitement, we face the change with trepidation. We’d rather stay in the current chapter, or perhaps even go back and re-read an earlier one. We know the next chapter might be better, but we’re comfortable where we are. Our surroundings are comfortable. Turning the page means something new ahead, and we’re not always certain we’re ready for that.
What if God is ready to do a new thing in your life? Wouldn’t that be excitement enough to cause you to turn the page? As followers of Jesus, we must always be moving forward, trusting Him to lead us no matter which direction that might take us. Every day with Jesus is a new adventure because He has more for us to do. There are more people to serve, more who have never heard of His love, and more who are dying without His hope. Perhaps He will use you where you are. Or perhaps it’s time to turn the page and begin a new chapter in your life of service to Him.
We all like our routines and are loathe to having them interrupted. We have our places and people, our comfort zone of life, and we work to protect those things. But God isn’t interested in stagnation. Anything that stagnates eventually dies. Jesus wants each of us to experience the fullness of life for which He created us. Sometimes that means we’ll have to turn the page to discover what happens next.
New chapters are nothing to fear. It’s exciting to know that God is writing something totally new into your life. The fact that there is yet another chapter in our lives means that God is still using us; He still has plans that require our unique talents, skills, and passions. New chapters prove we still have a part to play in the magnificent story of history that God is writing on the walls of the universe. Never fear something into which God is calling you. Change can be unsettling, but it can also be beautifully exciting. Trust God to be with you as you turn the page and discover what He has in store for the next chapter of your life.