Shake The Dust Off Your Feet

When God calls us to move forward, He never asks us to carry yesterday’s baggage with us. Recently, my pastor preached a sermon where he reminded us of a simple but powerful truth on how important it is for us to shake the dust off our feet before proceeding forward. As he was sharing from his notes and illustrating with his gestures and movements, I thought it was funny, but as I really paid attention it hit home with me. At first glance, dust can seem harmless. Afterall, it is just a bit of residue from the road. But when we leave it to settle, it clings, clouds, and can weigh us down. If we are not careful and we step into something, which most of us always step into something in life, it can turn into mud. Dust can represent anything from our past that tries to follow us into the future such as old hurts, regrets, betrayals, or even the harsh words of someone who doubted us. It can be the memory of a relationship that ended badly or the disappointment of a dream that did not unfold the way we hoped. Like the fine layer of dirt on a favorite pair of shoes, these experiences can settle quietly until we feel heavy without knowing why.

The phrase about dusting off your feet comes from the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark. When He sent His disciples out to share the good news, He told them that if a town refused to receive their message, they should not stay and argue. Instead, they were to shake the dust from their feet and move on. The lesson is clear; rejection or resistance is not the end of the story. Our assignment is to stay faithful, not stuck. So why do we so often carry dust we were never meant to keep? Sometimes we are scared to start anew, and it may feel a bit risky letting go of the past, only because it is familiar. We fear that releasing it means the hurt did not matter or that forgiveness erases justice. But shaking off dust is not denial. It is trust. It is choosing to believe that God’s plan is greater than any wound and that He can handle what we hand over and release to Him.

I have lived this lesson myself. Years ago, my business went through a difficult season. Opportunities dried up, relationships shifted, and I replayed every decision, wondering where I went wrong. The weight of regret sat on my heart like invisible sandbags. Only in prayer did I realize I was carrying the dust of what I thought was failure or looking at how others continued to move forward and what was wrong with me. Once I named those particles and released them to God, I felt light enough to pick myself up and keep moving. What was so interesting was new doors opened that I would have missed had I stayed sweeping yesterday’s floor. Dust may seem subtle, but it has a high cost. It slows our stride, clouds our vision, and dulls our joy. We cannot walk boldly into a new chapter while dragging the residue of the old one. Whether it is an offense you keep nursing, a friendship that turned toxic, or the echo of someone else’s opinion of you, the call is the same, learn to shake it off.

Imagine lifting your feet one at a time and giving a gentle shake before stepping into a new week. Hear the soft thud of release. Feel the freedom of a clean path. This is more than symbolism; it is a spiritual posture. It is deciding to have a made-up mind.  Remember, you do not have to carry what happened yesterday into the purpose God has for you today. The ground ahead is sacred and waiting. Lift your foot. Shake the dust. Step forward. Your future is too bright to walk into it with yesterday clinging to your shoes. Remember who you are and that you are wonderfully made with a purpose that is above any past mistake that could ever try to hold you back. I am a witness. #TPP #ThePurposePartner

Wendy is the Purpose Partner helping women go from Crossroads to Confidence, from Shaken to Unshakable, from Purpose to Power. To learn more visit WendyGladney.com and ForgivingForLiving.org