February 7, 2026

LETTING GO TO LEVEL UP

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1 NLT

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TODAY’S THOUGHT

In my years of consulting with churches, I’ve discovered that the hardest thing to do isn't starting something new—it’s letting go of something that used to work. A wise mentor once told me, "The last words of a dying church are: 'We’ve never done it that way before.'"

Too often, we run our lives and our ministries by "cutting and pasting" last year’s calendar into this year. We keep adding new responsibilities, but we never subtract the old ones. Eventually, we hit the Law of Diminishing Returns: we put in more effort but see less fruit.

The Lifecycle of a Season

Spiritually, we must realize that God doesn't just call us to a task; He calls us to a season. While the basics of our faith (prayer, Scripture, worship) are constant, the method and focus of God’s work in us change over time.

• Seasons of Stretching: These are times of intense discipline, study, and preparation. You might not see much fruit on the surface, but God is building the "root system" necessary for what’s coming next.

• Seasons of Harvest: These are times of visible fruitfulness, where the work of previous seasons finally pays off.

The Acrobat’s Dilemma

If we want to move into a new season, we must embrace the "Acrobat’s Dilemma." Imagine a circus performer swinging high above the floor. To reach the next bar, they must—for a split second—let go of the current one and hang in mid-air.

You cannot grab the new thing God has for you if your hands are still full of the last thing He gave you. Faithfulness is the bridge between seasons. If you are faithful in the "stretching" season, you will experience the "fruitful" season. But if you try to make a temporary season permanent, you risk becoming stagnant. Don't let your life become a museum of past successes.

An Honest Audit

When was the last time you did something for the first time? Is there a "swinging bar" you are holding onto out of comfort, even though the momentum has died?

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TODAY’S PRAYER

Holy Spirit, give me eyes to see and a mind to understand the season I am in right now. Help me to flourish where You have planted me but also give me the courage to let go when You say a season is over. I don't want to miss the 'new thing' because I’m clinging to the 'old thing.' Prepare me for the next bar. Amen.

“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”