Have you ever noticed how sometimes you try to slip back into the past as if nothing has changed? Maybe it’s a memory, a relationship, or even a pair of high school jeans. There’s a comfort in the familiar—how those jeans made you feel, the image of yourself you once carried.
“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” – Anaïs Nin
But here’s the thing: it’s not necessarily about the fit in the literal sense. Your body may have changed, yes—but more importantly, you have changed. You’ve walked countless miles, weathered storms, celebrated victories, and learned lessons. Those jeans, however cherished, were made for a version of you that no longer exists. They are no longer a good fit—not because of what you see in the mirror, but because of who you are today.
“New wine requires new wineskins.” – Matthew 9:17
New life, new growth, new joy—these require new ‘wineskins’. Old containers cannot hold the present.
How often in life have we pulled something out of the drawer of memory, dusted it off, and thought, maybe this will still fit? Then we look in the mirror, or stand in front of someone we love, and are gently confronted with the truth: I’ve changed.
“We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.” – Maya Angelou
The past can be a place of fond memories, but it is not a place to live.
“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” C.S. Lewis
At some point you have to let go of the old jeans, the old patterns, the old versions of yourself. Yes, honor the journey you’ve walked, but embrace who you are now. Time for some new jeans!
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17
BP