September 26, 2025 Vujà De or Déjà vu?

Friday, September 26, 2025 

Vujà De or Déjà vu? 

When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.  Then you will know which way to go,  since you have never been this way before.  
Joshua 3:3-4, NIV 

We all know déjà vu—that eerie sense of having experienced something before when, in fact, we haven’t. But vujà de flips the script. It’s stepping into the familiar but seeing things in a completely new way. It is often the path to personal growth, innovation, and new opportunities. 

I felt it firsthand when I left a 20+ year career in medical social work for a director role in a financial call center. Suddenly, I was the rookie among seasoned industry experts. Excitement for growth clashed with doubts. "What was I thinking?" and "Where do I even start?" 

Learning the ropes felt like decoding a foreign language. Who knew a butterfly wasn’t just an insect but also a type of Wall Street trade? I wondered if Joshua felt the same stepping into Moses’ shoes, leading Israel into uncharted territory. 

During this season of my life, God sharpened three key approaches necessary when climbing vujà de “mountains” for which I am ill-equipped: 

Lean into our God-given strengths. My value (and perhaps purpose for being there) wasn’t investment expertise but years of experience in customer service and quality management. Those strengths helped me help my peers succeed.  Embrace the unknown with faith. Instead of replaying past successes, I had to choose to be vulnerable … to learn, listen, and ask questions, especially when I got things wrong.  Remember the key player. I didn’t always know who to turn to, but I knew the One who called me there. Just as God promised Joshua, He reminded me: “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5).  Vujà de moments and assignments stretch us, but they also reveal the faithfulness of the One who leads us into new territory. Territory where we can grow personally, professionally, and spiritually. 

Reflect: How is God calling you to think and respond differently to circumstances and opportunities? How might embracing a vujà de perspective help you grow spiritually, personally, or professionally? 

Pray: Father, You are the God of both the familiar and the unknown. When I step into new and uncertain places, remind me that I am never alone. Help me trust that You have equipped me with strengths to serve and succeed wherever You call me. And that You will fill in the gaps wherever I am lacking but needing. Lead me forward in faith, knowing that Your presence goes before me. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

By His Grace,  
Gloria Ashby  
Lay Leader