Introduction
Summary of the Book Do the New You by Steven Furtick Before we proceed, let’s look into a brief overview of the book. Imagine holding a mirror that doesn’t merely reflect who you are right now, but who you are becoming. This journey toward the new you is not limited by the person you’ve always known yourself to be. Instead, it’s a path opened by God’s invitation to grow beyond old boundaries and step into a wider, richer life. Picture yourself peeling away layers of doubt, embracing divine strength you once overlooked, and uncovering abilities you never thought you had. As you do, you’ll learn how progress is never truly finished, how you are never stuck if you reach out for help, and how Christ’s presence within makes you fully worthy. In these pages, you’ll discover how to tap into endless opportunities, calm fears, cultivate joy, and recognize God’s preparation for every season. Let’s begin.
Chapter 1: Recognizing That True Progress Unfolds Through Endless Journeys, Not One-Time Achievements.
Imagine walking along a winding forest trail that never truly ends. Each step you take leads to more twists and turns, revealing new scenery, hidden streams, and unexpected clearings. This vision of constant motion symbolizes that progress isn’t something you finally arrive at and then stop. Instead, it’s a continuous path of growth, learning, and refining who you are. You never truly reach a perfect endpoint where you can say, I’m done changing. Real progress is about becoming more open, more compassionate, more understanding, and more closely aligned with the person God has called you to be. As you accept that life isn’t about crossing a finish line, you begin to see that every step you take—no matter how small—builds on the last and sets the stage for the next.
When you realize that progress is ongoing, you free yourself from the pressure of quick fixes and unrealistic expectations. Too often, people think, If I could just achieve this one goal, I’ll be complete. But that’s like assuming a single sip of water will forever quench your thirst. Instead, as you journey forward, you refine your character, adapt your mindset, and discover the depth of your relationship with God. This makes progress something alive and active, an ever-renewing choice to become more honest, kind, courageous, and faith-filled each day. Even when you stumble or feel stuck, you understand that these moments aren’t dead ends—they’re just pauses before you continue forward. Embracing the endless nature of progress turns setbacks into steppingstones and pushes you to keep growing.
Consider how recognizing progress as a journey shifts your perspective on challenges. Rather than feeling embarrassed for not having it all together right now, you appreciate that you’re still learning, still in motion. You trust that God’s design for you involves ups and downs, and that each experience contributes to who you are becoming. There are seasons when you might feel far from where you want to be, yet understanding that you’re on a continuum of growth eases the pressure. It’s not about being perfect today, but about moving steadily forward. This viewpoint frees you to seek guidance, pray for insight, and draw strength from those who can help you become the person God envisions. In this way, your forward steps matter more than your occasional missteps.
Each time you acknowledge that you haven’t arrived but are steadily traveling, you leave room for divine input. God’s influence doesn’t fade after you reach a milestone—He remains present, nurturing and shaping you as you progress. This perspective encourages humility, since you understand that there’s always more to learn and more room to grow. It also boosts hopefulness, because if progress never ends, then neither do your chances to improve, heal, and renew. Day by day, your trust in God’s process builds, showing you that you’re not just moving aimlessly. You have a destination in His grand plan, even if you don’t see every detail now. Recognizing that progress is a never-ending journey transforms how you view setbacks, fuels your perseverance, and ensures you remain open to God’s ongoing work within you.
Chapter 2: Overcoming the Illusion of Being Stuck by Embracing Divine Help and Human Support.
Imagine feeling pinned under a heavy weight, as if life’s challenges have pressed you flat against the ground. It could be financial worries, academic struggles, relationship conflicts, or lingering feelings of self-doubt. In that moment, it’s easy to think you’re completely stuck. However, being stuck is often just an illusion. The truth is that you remain capable of movement if you tap into the resources God provides. Sometimes, the first step toward freedom is admitting that you need help. Just as a person pinned down by a wrestler in a match might call out to a coach or a friend for assistance, reaching beyond your own strength is a powerful move. It’s an act of courage that can transform seeming hopelessness into renewed possibility and growth.
Seeking help can feel risky. You might worry about judgment, appearing weak, or handing over your troubles to someone else. Yet, opening yourself to guidance is actually a step toward overcoming that notion of being stuck. God places people in your life for reasons. Your friends, family, mentors, and faithful companions each carry wisdom and encouragement. They may offer insights you never considered, share solutions they’ve discovered, or simply give you the moral support you desperately need. By reaching out, you admit that you don’t have all the answers—and that’s perfectly okay. In fact, it’s liberating. Accepting help doesn’t signal defeat. Instead, it signals openness to growth and readiness to trust that God can use others to point you in new and unexpected directions.
God also stands ready to assist. You’re never alone in the struggle, and feeling stuck can be a gentle nudge to turn your heart and mind toward Him. When you do this, you find that God’s voice often speaks quietly through Scripture, prayerful reflection, and the encouragement of those who love you. His guidance doesn’t always come as a thunderbolt of revelation. Sometimes it’s a quiet whisper that says, Keep going, I’m with you. By listening to His promptings, you learn to look beyond the current challenge and see the potential growth hidden within it. You begin to trust that there’s more ahead, and that your present situation isn’t the final chapter of your story.
Breaking free from the illusion of being stuck means acknowledging that you have a choice. You can remain there, paralyzed by fear or pride, or you can reach upward and outward. Trusting God and leaning on others transforms your perspective. Instead of believing you’re stuck forever, you see that you’re simply taking a moment to gather strength, find direction, and learn something new. This shift changes the conversation inside your head from I can’t to With help, I can try again. Over time, these moments become foundations of resilience, proving that you possess the ability to rise up. Embracing help and support demonstrates that you’re willing to do what it takes to move forward—an important step on the road to becoming the new you.
Chapter 3: Discovering That Christ Within You Transforms Your Sense of Worth and Capability.
Picture a champion athlete standing on the edge of the field before a big match. The crowd is roaring, and every eye is fixed on her, expecting a performance of excellence. In that pressure-filled moment, she whispers to herself: Christ is in me, I am enough. This phrase isn’t a quick motivational slogan; it’s a profound truth that her worth, strength, and value are anchored not in her talents alone, but in a divine presence within. When you trust that Christ lives inside you, you tap into a wellspring of confidence and peace. You realize that who you are doesn’t depend solely on accomplishments, comparisons to others, or the ever-changing opinions of the world. Instead, your value is rooted in God’s endless love.
Recognizing Christ within doesn’t guarantee a life free of challenges. In fact, trials may still come thick and fast. But it changes your starting point. You no longer approach life feeling hollow, as if you must constantly prove your worth. Instead, you stand firm knowing you’re never alone. The notion that Christ is in me gives you permission to face the unknown without fear. It means you have something greater than yourself fueling your actions—an unshakable identity formed by a divine hand. With this understanding, even ordinary tasks and everyday conversations become opportunities to reflect God’s light. You find yourself acting with compassion, steadiness, and faith, no matter what obstacles appear. This assurance guides you toward a healthier, more balanced view of your own worth.
As you embrace Christ within, you begin to see life differently. Instead of focusing on scarcity—constantly worrying that you’re not good enough, smart enough, or rich enough—you adopt an abundant mindset. With Christ as your source, you recognize that your capacities extend far beyond what you previously imagined. Your dreams don’t have to shrink because of fear; they can expand because of faith. Even when you face overwhelming odds, you recall that divine strength empowers you to persevere. This is not about denying reality, but about seeing deeper meaning. Each challenge can reveal more of the strength Christ offers from within, prompting you to move forward with steady courage and calm assurance.
This shift in perspective affects how you treat others, too. When you understand that Christ dwells in you, it prompts you to see Christ’s handiwork in others as well. This fosters empathy, patience, and compassion. Instead of competing to measure up to someone else’s success, you celebrate their journey while trusting your own. You learn that true adequacy isn’t a limited resource—it’s a gift from God that everyone can access. Over time, believing Christ is in me, I am enough becomes a steady inner refrain. You lean on it when you feel drained, repeat it when doubt tries to creep in, and let it reassure you when life’s storms howl. Through it all, you remember that your identity is secure, valuable, and filled with potential in Christ.
Chapter 4: Breaking Free from Scarcity Thinking to Harvest Opportunities Rooted in Faith and Trust.
When you wake up each morning, do you see endless possibilities or a long list of shortages? Scarcity thinking whispers that there’s never enough—enough time, enough talent, enough good fortune. It locks you into a mindset where your world feels cramped and limited. Yet God’s perspective is far broader. He invites you to trade your scarcity lens for a faith-filled viewpoint that sees beyond the immediate. Like planting seeds, you scatter efforts and prayers without always knowing which will thrive. You work diligently and trust that some of your acts of kindness, courageous decisions, or creative attempts will burst into life. This trust in God’s abundant provision frees you to try new things, develop your talents, and face the world with a hopeful spirit.
One wise old saying is that you should sow in the morning and not let your hands be idle in the evening. Why? Because you never know which of your deeds will sprout into something remarkable. Maybe the encouraging word you offered a friend today becomes the spark that reignites their hope tomorrow. Perhaps the small step you take toward a dream—sending that email, signing up for that class—will set off a chain of events leading you to opportunities you never imagined. Believing that God can bring growth from any seed you plant gives you a sense of freedom. You stop trying to predict outcomes perfectly and learn to trust that your efforts are never wasted in His grand design.
Breaking away from scarcity thinking involves training your mind to see what could be possible instead of fixating on what’s lacking. Over time, this shift changes how you approach challenges. Instead of feeling defeated when something doesn’t immediately pan out, you say, Let’s wait and see what God does with this. Faith in God’s ability to open doors where there seem to be none encourages you to keep moving forward, even when progress is slow. The more you trust His plan, the more willing you become to invest energy, time, and care into tasks whose outcomes remain uncertain. This perspective transforms fear of failure into curiosity about what might happen if you persevere.
As you adopt this abundant, faith-rooted viewpoint, each day becomes an adventure. Your life takes on a more open, expansive quality. You feel less pressured to control every outcome because you trust that God’s plans are bigger and better than your own. When opportunities arise, you greet them not with skepticism, but with hope. When setbacks occur, you don’t interpret them as dead ends, but as redirections or learning moments. Over time, your heart grows more generous, your actions more purposeful, and your faith more resilient. The world no longer seems limited by scarcity but filled with potential and promise. This freeing mindset helps you embrace the unknown, lean into God’s will, and discover the remarkable opportunities He scatters along your path.
Chapter 5: Aligning Your Path with God’s Whisper, Overcoming Internal Resistance and Fearful Voices.
Deep inside your mind lives a voice often called the lizard brain, the primitive part that wants you to avoid risks, stay safe, and shy away from unfamiliar territory. It chatters at you, warning of failure, embarrassment, or discomfort. Picture a young swimmer, Abby, poised at the pool’s edge, aiming to cross it in one breath. The lizard brain howls, Stop, don’t do it! Yet, to align your path with God’s gentle whisper, you must learn to swim beyond that fear. In taking that first stroke, Abby chooses courage over comfort. She shows that stepping forward, despite inner protests, is how you move from who you’ve always been to who God knows you can become. Her journey proves that fear, though loud, need not define your direction.
Biblical examples mirror Abby’s story. Consider Jeremiah, a young prophet initially overwhelmed by his calling. He said, I do not know how to speak; I am too young. God replied, Do not be afraid… for I am with you. Jeremiah, much like Abby, had to trust something deeper than his own doubts. If he had listened only to internal fear, he would’ve never fulfilled his role. Instead, he found the courage to speak God’s truth, influencing generations. This teaches that when you lean into God’s voice, you transcend limitations that seem impossible to overcome. The same power that strengthened Jeremiah and emboldened Abby is available to you. It assures that your inner doubts don’t have the final say. God’s guidance and strength do.
Aligning your path with God’s whisper means persistently choosing truth over the lies fear tells you. Instead of believing you’re unprepared, you remember God has already given you tools and talents. Instead of assuming you’ll fail, you recognize that each attempt, whether it succeeds or falters, teaches you something valuable. This perspective transforms challenges into growth opportunities. Over time, you learn to quiet the lizard brain’s negativity and amplify God’s encouraging words. You realize that each step of faith, however small, builds your confidence. In moments when you feel hesitant, remind yourself that God’s presence is constant. He’s not an observer on the sidelines; He’s right beside you, cheering you on, fueling your courage, and guiding your strokes through the unknown waters.
Think of the difference this makes in your everyday life. The next time a new challenge arises—whether applying for a new role, starting a difficult conversation, or learning a new skill—you can remember Abby and Jeremiah. Their stories show that responding to God’s whisper instead of fear’s roar leads to meaningful growth. You stop seeing fear as an enemy that must paralyze you and start viewing it as a natural reaction you can overcome. Ultimately, this helps you forge your path with a faith-filled heart, confident that God is shaping your journey. By repeatedly choosing courage over comfort, you gradually become the person God designed you to be. Just as Abby made it across the pool, so can you navigate life’s deep waters victoriously.
Chapter 6: Choosing Courage Over Doubt, Moving Forward in Confidence with God’s Steady Hand.
Imagine standing at a crossroads, uncertain which way to go. Doubt can feel like a heavy chain, holding you in place. But consider the truth that courage often begins as a small spark, a quiet decision inside your heart to trust rather than tremble. When you choose courage, you’re not denying that uncertainty exists. Instead, you’re deciding to move forward anyway, guided by God’s steady hand. This type of bravery isn’t about being fearless; it’s about recognizing that fear needn’t rule you. As you take one bold step at a time, doubt loses its grip. You understand that even if you can’t see the entire path ahead, you can trust God to light the next step. He is never caught off guard.
This form of courageous living has roots in faith. Consider the countless figures throughout history who overcame towering obstacles because they trusted God’s promise more than their anxious thoughts. By focusing on what God can do instead of fixating on what you cannot, you tap into a power source that isn’t limited by your human perspective. Over time, this builds resilience, because each courageous act cements the understanding that God won’t abandon you. Even when challenges seem insurmountable, you recall past victories and the countless times God showed up. This memory fuels confidence, driving you onward. Thus, courage and confidence become companions on your journey, turning what once felt impossible into another chapter in your growth story.
Confidence in God’s presence also enhances how you view setbacks. When something goes wrong, instead of feeling defeated, you realize it’s not the end. You can regroup, pray, seek guidance, and try again. This perspective helps you remain calm amid storms. It encourages you to remain patient as God’s plan unfolds at its own pace. Courage gives you the strength to stand firm in your identity as a beloved child of God, and confidence assures you that your journey is under divine care. Together, they form the backbone of the new you who dares to dream, reach, risk, and grow. Every time you lean into God’s strength, you add another brick to a foundation that helps you move forward more steadily than before.
By choosing courage, you’re actively cooperating with God’s vision for your life. You trade passive waiting and fearful hesitation for purposeful action grounded in faith. Over time, your decisions reflect the truth that you are not defined by what you fear, but by who empowers you. Doubt may still whisper from the sidelines, but its voice weakens as you continually prove it wrong with each faith-filled step. You begin to expect growth, anticipate God’s help, and watch for the lessons hidden in every season. As courage and confidence flourish, you step boldly into new chapters of your life, trusting that God’s steady hand is always ready to guide you. This ongoing partnership is exactly what shapes the new you, each day more aligned with God’s design.
Chapter 7: Designing Each New Day as a Canvas for Joy, Gratitude, and Genuine Happiness.
Picture waking up each morning as if God has handed you a fresh canvas and a palette of vibrant colors. Your day isn’t just something that happens to you—it’s a masterpiece waiting for your creative touch. Joy isn’t a random event that some people stumble upon; it’s a choice, an intentional act of painting your hours with gratitude, laughter, and hope. Long ago, a wise psalmist declared, This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Those words remind you that each sunrise carries a golden opportunity. Instead of waiting passively for happiness to appear, you pick up your brushes. You decide to notice the small blessings, celebrate progress, and create an atmosphere where joy can flourish.
Embracing joy as a mission means claiming responsibility for your emotional state. It’s tempting to blame circumstances or other people for why you’re unhappy, but that leaves you powerless. When you choose to own your joy, you become an active participant in your emotional landscape. This doesn’t mean you ignore pain or pretend hardships don’t exist. Rather, you acknowledge them without allowing them to dominate the entire canvas. By intentionally seeking joyful moments—appreciating a friend’s kind words, marveling at nature’s beauty, or savoring a simple meal—you rewrite the narrative of your day. God’s presence weaves through these moments, reminding you that while life can be tough, He’s given you the ability to find joy even in difficulty.
Pursuing joy also transforms your relationships. Think about how the energy of a truly joyful person draws others in like a warm fire on a cold evening. When joy spills from your heart, it influences how you listen, respond, and support those around you. Instead of being a source of stress or tension, you become someone others love to be near. Your family, friends, and even casual acquaintances notice your positive outlook. Over time, your joyful approach encourages them to consider their own choices. By modeling that joy can be nurtured, not just stumbled upon, you help others realize that happiness isn’t limited to the luckiest few. Together, you and your community learn that God intended joy to be shared, multiplied, and celebrated collectively.
There’s a beautiful balance to this way of living. As you choose joy, you also recognize that God is the ultimate source of your emotional well-being. He’s the one who provides strength when you’re weak and hope when you’re uncertain. By making joy your mission, you align yourself more closely with His desires for your life. Your spiritual journey deepens because you witness how God’s goodness can override grim circumstances. Each time you paint your day’s canvas with bright, life-affirming colors, you affirm your trust in God’s care. This habit reshapes not only how you feel but also how you approach new challenges. Knowing that joy is always a choice, always accessible, you step forward as a person determined to reflect God’s light in every moment.
Chapter 8: Accepting God’s Perfect Preparation, Finding the Tools You Need in Every Season of Life.
Consider Trenton, a young man with cerebral palsy who serves as a greeter at church. Some might label him disabled, focusing on what he cannot do. Yet Trenton discovered something remarkable: by adding go in front of disabled, you form the phrase God is able. This playful word adjustment is more than clever—it’s a powerful reminder that God takes what looks like a limitation and turns it into a vehicle for His strength. Rather than seeing his condition as an insurmountable barrier, Trenton understands that God equipped him perfectly for his role. His cheerful spirit, genuine smile, and warm welcome become gifts he offers every person who enters. In this way, Trenton’s story shows that God doesn’t wait for perfect circumstances. Instead, He uses who you are right now.
This principle is woven throughout the Bible. Consider Ehud, an unlikely hero who delivered Israel from oppression. He was left-handed in a culture that considered right-handedness the norm. Yet God used that detail to craft a daring rescue plan. Ehud’s difference became his advantage, demonstrating that what the world views as weaknesses, God can use as strengths. The message is clear: God prepares you for every season of your life. He doesn’t require you to become someone else before He can work through you. Instead, He invites you to bring all of who you are—your personality, talents, limitations, and quirks—and trust that He will guide you toward fulfilling His purposes in unexpected ways.
Accepting God’s preparation means looking at your life through a lens of faith. Instead of waiting for some future version of yourself—more confident, more skilled, more anything—you embrace the moment you’re in. God’s plan often emerges where you least expect it, turning small acts into significant blessings. By trusting that He knows exactly what you need, you open yourself up to divine surprises. That doesn’t mean you should never try to improve. It means you stop seeing your present circumstances as roadblocks and start seeing them as steppingstones. Each experience, whether joyful or challenging, can equip you further, sharpening your character and deepening your faith. In this mindset, you recognize that God’s resources are never out of reach; they’re always aligned with your current season.
Over time, accepting God’s perfect preparation transforms how you approach each day. You notice how certain difficulties made you more patient, how certain relationships taught you empathy, and how certain blessings prepared you to share with others. When you trust that nothing in your life is wasted, you become more peaceful and less anxious about missing out. You realize that all your gifts, your unique background, and even your struggles position you perfectly for where God wants to lead you next. This eliminates the pressure to be someone you’re not, freeing you to celebrate who God created you to be. Stepping forward, you carry this assurance: God knows the materials you have and will help you build something meaningful and worthwhile.
Chapter 9: Continuously Becoming the Authentic ‘New You’ Through God’s Eternal Refinement and Grace.
Picture yourself as a piece of clay spinning on a potter’s wheel. Each moment of your life, God’s hands are shaping, smoothing, and refining your form. You aren’t a finished product. Instead, you’re an evolving creation, gradually molded into the new you He envisions. This isn’t a one-time transformation—just as a potter might carefully rework the clay multiple times, God remains committed to your ongoing growth. The new you isn’t about discarding your past entirely; it’s about reinterpreting it, learning from it, and allowing your experiences to help shape a more authentic, Christ-centered identity. As you surrender to God’s steady hands, you find that life’s twists and turns are the pressures He uses to strengthen your character and broaden your perspective.
This process invites patience. Sometimes, you might wonder why changes aren’t happening faster. Other times, you’ll look back and marvel at how far you’ve come. The key is to trust God’s timing. He knows which areas of your life need gentle reshaping and which need more intense reworking. Embracing this reality means acknowledging that becoming the new you is a lifetime journey. You keep learning, growing, and refining. Each choice to trust God’s guidance, each decision to stand on faith rather than fear, and each step toward kindness and understanding reveals more of the person God created you to be. Over time, this gradual transformation replaces old patterns of insecurity with confidence and small-mindedness with an expansive vision of what’s possible in Christ.
As you continuously become this new you, you find deeper purpose and stability. Your relationship with God matures, and your inner compass aligns more closely with His truths. You recognize that life’s uncertainties aren’t proof of failure; they’re opportunities to stretch your faith and become more resilient. Each season brings different lessons, and you carry them forward, prepared for whatever lies ahead. With each refinement, you see that God’s love runs through every detail of your journey. The new you isn’t a false persona you put on—it’s a truer version of yourself, fully alive, more compassionate, and more receptive to God’s calling.
In the end, this ongoing transformation isn’t about achieving perfection. It’s about living authentically as the unique individual God designed. By embracing continual growth, you reject the idea that you’ve reached your limit. Instead, you find joy in the knowledge that God’s refining process never stops offering fresh chances for improvement and deeper faith. Each time you respond to His guidance, you become a bit more who you were meant to be. You develop an inner confidence rooted not in your accomplishments, but in God’s unwavering love. This knowledge frees you to face challenges without feeling overwhelmed. It encourages you to extend grace to yourself and others. Ultimately, the new you is a reflection of God’s grace, continuously taking shape, day by day, into something beautiful.
All about the Book
Transform your life with ‘Do the New You’ by Steven Furtick, an empowering guide that motivates readers to embrace change, discover their true selves, and live a fulfilled, purpose-driven life anchored in faith and action.
Steven Furtick is a bestselling author, dynamic speaker, and founder of Elevation Church, known for his impactful messages that inspire spiritual growth and personal development.
Life Coaches, Therapists, Educators, Ministers, Motivational Speakers
Self-improvement, Reading, Meditation, Personal Development Workshops, Volunteering
Personal Identity, Mental Health, Spiritual Growth, Overcoming Adversity
The power to change is in your hands; you have the ability to become a new creation.
Oprah Winfrey, Stephen Curry, Tasha Cobbs Leonard
Christian Book Award, Gold Medallion Book Award, Audible Best Seller
1. How can I embrace change to improve myself? #2. What steps can I take to renew my mindset? #3. In what ways can faith transform my life? #4. How do my past experiences shape my identity today? #5. What practices help cultivate a positive self-image? #6. How can I overcome obstacles blocking my growth? #7. What role does gratitude play in personal development? #8. How can I strengthen relationships with others effectively? #9. What habits should I adopt for a healthier lifestyle? #10. How can I align my goals with my values? #11. What is the importance of self-reflection in progress? #12. How can I maintain motivation during challenging times? #13. What does it mean to live authentically every day? #14. How can I harness my strengths for success? #15. What strategies help me set and achieve meaningful goals? #16. How can I deal with negative thoughts productively? #17. What are the benefits of surrounding myself with positivity? #18. How does forgiveness contribute to my personal journey? #19. What can I learn from my failures and successes? #20. How can I cultivate resilience in the face of adversity?
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