If you are joining the Journey to Renewal for the first time, welcome. This devotional series unfolds week by week, guiding you through the process of becoming a new creation in Christ. Each stage builds gently on the last, leading you step by step through the transformation God is forming within you. To begin the Journey as it was designed, I encourage you to start with the first reflection - Becoming a New Creation in Christ — and then return here to Stage One.
Introduction
Last week, we began our Journey to Renewal by reflecting on the life of the caterpillar and the profound spiritual metaphor woven into its transformation. We traced its journey - from its simple beginnings to its season of consuming and growing, to the hidden work of the chrysalis, and finally to the emergence of a new creation (1). Through that reflection, we were reminded that God meets us in every stage of growth – patiently forming us from the inside out – and inviting us into a life of continual renewal.
That first reflection set the foundation for understanding transformation as a process - one that involves surrender, trust, and the quiet work of God within us. Now, as we continue this journey, we step into Stage One of spiritual transformation: the moment When New Life Begins. Just as every butterfly begins as a tiny egg containing the blueprint of its future, our spiritual life also begins with a divine design planted by God Himself.
This week, we turn our attention to that sacred beginning - where identity is formed, purpose is planted, and God initiates the work as the author of our beginnings.
When New Life Begins
Growing up in Montana, I often spent time in quiet places in nature - places where life was beginning long before I ever noticed it. In early spring, before the caterpillars appeared and long before butterflies filled the air, there were tiny eggs hidden on leaves. Most people never saw them. They were small, fragile, and easily overlooked. Yet inside each one was a complete design - everything needed for the life that would one day emerge (1).
As I reflect on the beginning of our spiritual journey, I am reminded of those tiny eggs. They may not look like much at first glance, but they carry a profound truth: new life begins before we ever see evidence of growth. God plants purpose long before we recognize it. He begins His work in us quietly, intentionally, and with a design that is complete from the start.
This is the mystery and beauty of becoming a new creation in Christ.
New Life Begins With God’s Design
The Apostle Paul writes:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17
This verse is often quoted as a declaration of transformation - and rightly so. But before transformation comes beginning. Before the butterfly, there is the egg. Before visible change, there is unseen design. Before we understand our calling, God has already planted it within us.
Just as the egg contains the blueprint for the caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly, God has placed within you the blueprint of who He created you to be. You may not see the fullness of it yet. You may feel small, unprepared, or unsure. But God’s work in you began long before you recognized it.
Your identity in Christ is not something you earn.
It is something God establishes.
Identity precedes behavior.
Calling precedes action.
Design precedes growth.
And all of it begins with Him.
We are reminded of a Scripture we read last week, which echoes this truth:
“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you...” - Jeremiah 1:5
God’s design for you is older than your awareness of Him.
Older than your first prayer.
Older than your first step of faith.
Older than your understanding of who you are becoming.
The Hiddenness of Beginnings
The egg stage is quiet. Still. Unassuming. Nothing about it announces what is coming. Yet everything is already in motion.
Many of us underestimate the importance of beginnings because they feel small. We want to see progress, movement, or evidence that God is doing something. But beginnings rarely look impressive. They look like:
A stirring in your heart.
A desire to pray.
A longing for something more.
A moment of conviction.
A whisper of hope.
A sense that God is drawing you.
These are the spiritual “eggs” God plants - tiny beginnings that carry the potential for transformation.
Scripture echoes this truth:
“For You created my inmost being;
You knit me together in my mother’s womb…
Your eyes saw my unformed body;
all the days ordained for me
were written in Your book
before one of them came to be.”
- Psalm 139:13–16
This passage beautifully mirrors the hiddenness of the egg stage - reminding us that God’s work begins long before we see its shape.
If you sense God awakening something new in you, even if it feels small, trust that He is already at work. New life begins before it is visible.
Jesus described this hiddenness when he said:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed… it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree...” – from Matthew 13:31-32
God delights in beginnings that look small but carry greatness within them.
Special Note: As we walk through this tender topic, I want to invite you to honor your own boundaries. Sometimes, God invites us to step into difficult spaces, but sometimes He invites us to step into safe, professional care. If this conversation feels overwhelming rather than enlightening, I strongly encourage you to speak with a therapist or counselor. I am just a fellow Christian sharing my story and writings, not a licensed professional, and I want to ensure you are safe and supported.
God Plants Purpose Before We See Growth
Just as the caterpillar’s entire future is contained within the egg, your purpose is planted before you see its fruit. God does not wait for you to be ready. He does not wait for you to mature. He does not wait for you to understand.
He begins His work in you before you were born – before you knew your calling.
And that calling is not fragile — it is protected by His sovereignty. Even when you feel unsure, God is not. Even when you feel unprepared, God is not. Even when you feel small, God sees the fullness of what He is forming. Even when you feel inadequate, God meets you with His sufficiency — filling the gaps you fear and forming strength where you feel least capable.
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion…” - Philippians 1:6
Your beginning is not insignificant.
It is sacred.
An Invitation to Trust the Beginning
Beginnings require trust. They require surrender. They require letting God be the One who initiates the work.
If you are in a season of beginning - whether in faith, healing, calling, or renewal - God invites you to rest in the truth that He is the One who planted the seed. You do not have to force growth. You do not have to rush the process. You do not have to understand everything.
You simply need to trust the One who designed you.
This is the first step in the journey of renewal: recognizing that new life begins with God, not with us.
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Closing Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the gift of new beginnings.
Thank You that You plant purpose in me
long before I recognize its shape.
Help me trust the work You are doing
even when it feels small or unseen.
Quiet my fears at the start of new things,
and remind me that Your design is complete
even when my understanding is not.
Teach me to rest in Your timing,
to trust Your calling, and to welcome
the new life You are forming within me.
I choose to begin again with You -
from where I am now
to where You are leading me.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Reflection Questions for Beginnings and Identity (for Devotional Use this week):
Questions of Awakening and Design
When did you first sense God drawing you toward Him — even in small or quiet ways?
Where might God be planting new beginnings in your life right now, even if they feel hidden or fragile?
What inner shift — in identity, trust, or awareness — might God be forming in you as you step into a new beginning?
What “small stirrings” or gentle invitations of the Spirit might be signs of God’s quiet work within you?
What fears or uncertainties do you need to surrender so you can trust the sacredness of your beginning?
How does knowing that God designed you before you understood Him shape your confidence in this season of new life?
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Invitation to Return, Reflect, and Pray
As you continue your Journey to Renewal, take time this week to sit with the beginnings God has placed in your life. Return to these truths often. Reflect on what God is awakening within you. Pay attention to the small stirrings, the quiet invitations, the gentle nudges of the Spirit.
Pray for the courage to trust the small, quiet places where new life begins.
Pray for eyes to see God’s design even when it is hidden.
Pray for a heart that welcomes beginnings without rushing them.
Your journey is unfolding -
one step,
one surrender,
one beginning at a time.
© 2026 Brenda Wheeler / Brenda Wheeler Ministries All rights reserved.
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Bibliography
1. Life Cycle - Alabama Butterfly Atlas. (2024). https://alabama.butterflyatlas.usf.edu/lifecycle. Accessed 25 April 2026.
All quotes from the Bible are from: Revised Standard Version. Bible Gateway, https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/Revised-Standard-Version-RSV-Bible. Accessed 24-25 April 2026.