Boaz replied, “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband–how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know.” Ruth 2:11

Stepping out into the unknown is very difficult for many people. It not only requires a step of faith, but also a step away from the familiar and safe and known place.

Sometimes it will require leaving family and friends behind to go to the new place or to a new level. Doing this can be painful and difficult.

Boaz had heard of how Ruth had left her family and land to follow Naomi into a new land after her husband had died.

Every person has various points in their life in which they have to take a step into something unknown or new to them. It begins as a child moving up into new class levels in school and continues through adulthood with new jobs or locations to live.

Any time a person becomes a new believer, he must take a step into something new, something unknown. There is a change of the way of thinking and doing things. In this process one must be willing to leave behind things and people.

The new believer has a new life and is a new creation in Christ Jesus with a new family and a new way of living. It is a new culture that is drastically different from the past. The past is behind, and all things are new.

Taking a step like this requires complete faith in God and His boldness to step away from the past. It is trusting that God knows what is best and has something better in store.

As a believer there are some things that you have had to leave behind. There may be more things or people that God wants you to leave behind because they only distract you from Him and pull you down.

Keep your eyes focused on God and follow Him all the way. Do not allow people or things in your life to pull you away from God and what He has for you.

What God has in store for you is much greater than anything or anyone you must leave behind. Are you holding on to your past? Or are you leaving all behind and moving forward in Jesus?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know what God wants you to leave behind; that God will give you strength to leave behind what will harm or distract you; and that you will follow God with all of your heart and life.