"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
- 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV
One of the things I love about Christmas is that it shows us just how good God is at stepping into messy stories.
The first Christmas wasn’t neat or polished. It wasn’t wrapped with a bow. It involved fear, uncertainty, obedience, and a whole lot of faith. And woven all through that story is a quiet but powerful theme:
Turning from what was…
And toward what God is doing next.
When the angel appeared to Joseph, his life was headed in one direction. He had a plan. A future mapped out. A past that made sense. But God interrupted that path and asked him to turn away from his own understanding and toward obedience. Joseph didn’t argue. He didn’t cling to what might have been easier or more comfortable. He turned and followed God.
That’s often where our faith grows too.
Christmas has a way of stirring old memories—some joyful, some painful. For many of us, it also stirs reminders of who we used to be: past mistakes, old habits, broken relationships, seasons we’d rather forget. The enemy loves to drag those things back into the light and whisper, “This is who you really are.”
But Christmas tells a different story.
The birth of Jesus is proof that God specializes in new beginnings.
A Savior born in a manger didn’t come to remind us of our past
—He came to redeem it.
He didn’t come to shame us for where we’ve been
—He came to lead us forward.
The Word tells us, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come.” That’s not just an Easter or Christmas truth… it’s an every day, every moment truth.
Turning from our past doesn’t mean pretending it never happened.
It means refusing to live there anymore. It means trusting that God’s grace is bigger than our failures and His plans are stronger than our regrets.
Growth in our faith often starts with a simple but courageous decision:
Turn around...
Like the shepherds, we leave the fields we know.
Like the wise men, we change direction and follow the star.
Like Mary and Joseph, we say yes—even when the road ahead feels uncertain.
This Christmas season, maybe the greatest gift we can give is our willingness to grow. To let go of what’s behind us. To stop rehearsing old stories and start believing God is still writing new ones.
Jesus came into the world to save, to restore, and to make all things new—including us.
So as we celebrate Christmas next week, remember this:
Our past does not define us.
The manger points forward.
The cross makes the way.
And faith grows when we turn toward Him and take the next step.
Even if that step might feel small.
Faith is taking that step… and the next… and the next… even if we aren’t quite sure where we are going.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
