Carrie Baker – The Growth Collective

At the time of writing this blog post, I am 2 weeks into a new role I love in a completely different workplace, and it’s been… interesting. 

I know with absolute certainty that this amazing opportunity is a door that only the Lord could have opened, and feels so perfectly suited to me. And yet…

And yet starting this job has brought up some things that I really wasn’t expecting. So I want to share the journey with you, because maybe you’re in the uncertainty of something new, or maybe one day you will be right there yourself.

Why does starting something new feel so hard?

You would think doing something new would feel nothing but amazing and exciting for us; we’re full of sparkling fresh energy, and a newfound sense of purpose. But soon after that moment we step across the threshold of our comfort zone and into the unknown; maybe it’s creating a new habit, starting a project or a new job… we come face-to-face with resistance.

It’s this resistance that gives us those first doubtful thoughts, when suddenly, we feel tired. Our mind feels foggy. We feel unsure. The confidence we had when we said “yes” to this new thing seems to just vanish overnight, and we wonder if we’ve made the wrong decision. “Maybe this wasn’t God after all? What if I got it wrong?”

If you’ve ever felt this way too, I want you to know you’re not alone – and you didn’t make a mistake. The truth is: change costs us. New things stretch us. And stepping into something unfamiliar almost always makes us feel uncomfortable.

But this discomfort doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong place.

Let these words encourage you;

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19 NIV

Making a way through these kinds of places, takes hard work, but it’s the Lord who will do this work with you, in you and through you.

The Resistance is Real (and Normal)

That uncomfortable feeling that creeps over you when you start something new isn’t a sign of failure – it’s just a sign of growth. But the thing is… it rarely feels like it!

We all face resistance when we begin again or step into something we’ve never done before. 

This resistance comes out in different ways: It can look like procrastination, self-doubt, overthinking, or a sudden urge to run back to what feels familiar. Our brains are wired to keep us safe, and anything that feels unfamiliar – even if it’s good, can feel like a threat. So we take a step back. We start to doubt. We begin to talk ourselves out of it. Or we look for reasons to delay.

But here’s the truth: just because something is hard doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Just because it’s unfamiliar doesn’t mean it’s unsafe. Often, this stretching is exactly where God is at work in us.

When we step into something new, we’re also stepping into a space that requires us to show up differently, to lay down old rhythms and create new ones. That’s more challenging than we realise. And really tiring.

Why New Things Drain Us

Change isn’t just a mental and physical shift, it’s a spiritual one too. You might notice yourself feeling more drained, more emotional, or feel less capable than you expected. You might even feel completely useless. I especially felt this one!

Feeling this way doesn’t mean you’re lazy or weak. You’re learning. You’re building something with the Lord – and building always costs us something.

New routines disrupt our regular rhythms and comfort zones. They force us to unlearn what no longer fits and then stretch into something that is not yet familiar. All this learning, unlearning, stretching and shifting can leave us feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, or even like we’re failing. 

But you’re not failing – you’re just in the uncomfortable middle.

It’s in this uncomfortable middle, that we need to have grace for ourselves. 

Here are a few things I have been trying to remind myself this past 2 weeks:

• “It’s ok to not know what I am doing – no one expects me to know everything.”

• “It takes time to learn new things and create new routines, and it’s safe for me let it take as long as it needs to.”

Let’s both remember this: Confidence doesn’t come before the action. It comes through it.

Don’t Mistake Discomfort for Misalignment

We know that there is opposition that comes when we step into the plans and purposes the Lord has for us. And one of the enemy’s favourite lies is this: “If it’s hard, it must not be from God.”

But when we look at Scripture, we see something very different.

• Noah had to build the ark before the rain.
• Moses doubted his voice before leading a nation.
• Mary accepted a divine calling before she fully understood what it would cost.

The hero’s in the Faith were asked to do difficult things that possibly made no sense at the time. Faith doesn’t always feel certain. But it does move forward.

If your new beginning is making you feel stretched, tired, or even a bit (or very) unqualified – you’re in good company with these big names above. Keep going. You’re not alone.

A Prayer for the Journey

Lord, you know how hard it is to begin again, or to start something new when it feels unfamiliar and stretching. Thank You that You walk with me through every season of change, and that I don’t have to have it all figured out to be faithful.
Strengthen me when I feel tired. Remind me of Your presence when I feel uncertain. Help me to trust that the discomfort is not a warning sign, but a holy invitation to grow. I lay down my fear, my doubt, and the lie that I’m not enough. I choose today to take the next small step, with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Keep Going, Even If It Feels Messy

If you’re in the early days of something new, a calling, a habit, a dream – and it feels harder than you thought, please don’t give up. This is the in-between space where growth happens. The stretching, the tiredness, the tears… they’re all part of becoming this new version of YOU.

You don’t have to be perfect. You just need to be willing.

God doesn’t wait until we feel strong — He meets us in our weakness

The Lord is faithful in the beginning, in the middle, and in the “not-yet.”

Something to Try This Week

Take ten minutes with God this week and ask:

• What new thing am I being invited into right now?
• What old rhythm or mindset is He asking me to let go of?
• Where am I feeling resistance – and what could that be revealing?

Write it down. Talk to God about it. And ask Him for enough grace to take the next step.

You don’t have to do it all. Just start – and keep going, one obedient step at a time.

I’m praying for God’s grace to cover you, for the strength to begin again, and the courage to keep going when it gets uncomfortable.

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See you soon friend, 

Carrie x