There’s a strange discomfort that comes when you realize you’ve outgrown a version of yourself that used to feel like home.
Maybe it was the version of you that knew how to stay quiet to keep the peace. Or the version that dimmed your light because others weren’t ready for your shine. Maybe it was the you who settled—because you didn’t yet believe you deserved more.
But here’s the thing about spiritual maturity: it’s not polite. It doesn’t wait for permission. It nudges you forward, stretches you beyond what’s comfortable, and whispers truth into the parts of your soul that have been surviving off of silence.
God never intended for us to stay the same.
That version of you that you’re clinging to—yes, the one who’s used to the old cycles, the familiar patterns, and the predictable outcomes—is not the version that can walk into the next season. You’re praying for elevation, but God is requiring transformation.
And transformation rarely comes without shedding.
When a snake sheds its skin, it doesn’t do it because something’s wrong—it does it because it has grown. That outer layer served its purpose, but now it’s too tight. Too restricting. Too small for the future that’s calling.
The same is true for us.
The longer you try to make yesterday’s skin fit today’s growth, the more frustrated you’ll feel. You’ll wonder why you feel stuck. You’ll wonder why things don’t feel right anymore, even though nothing’s technically wrong.
It’s because you’ve outgrown it.
And that’s not failure. That’s faithfulness.
It’s God reminding you that growth doesn’t mean you were wrong before—it just means you’re being called higher now. You don’t need to apologize for evolving. You don’t need to feel guilty for changing. And you certainly don’t need to shrink back just because others are more comfortable with who you used to be.
Shedding layers isn’t easy. You may feel exposed. Vulnerable. Even a little lost at first. But trust this: God doesn’t call you to strip something away without having something greater prepared for what’s next.
Ephesians 4:22-24 (NIV) says:
“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self… to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
That’s the work. That’s the call.
So today, if you feel like you’re in the in-between—no longer who you used to be, but not quite sure who you’re becoming—breathe. Don’t rush it. Don’t fear it. Just keep walking. Keep trusting. Keep shedding. Because what God is building in you is far greater than what you’re being asked to let go of.
This isn’t the end of you. It’s just the beginning of the real you.
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