Tools for My Next Assignment
- Melissa Saulnier
- Nov 4
- 2 min read
Beyond character, the old season equipped me with practical tools, skills, knowledge, relationships, and experiences, that seem random in isolation but are actually precisely calibrated for what’s ahead.
Think of it like a video game where I must complete one level to gather the weapons and abilities needed for the next. I can’t skip the early levels. The final boss would destroy me without the equipment earned along the way. Each level isn’t just an obstacle, it’s preparation.
My old season gave me tools I don’t even realize I’m carrying yet. That job I hated? It taught me systems, processes, or people skills I’ll need in my next assignment. That relationship that ended? It showed me what I’m really looking for and taught me about myself in the process. That ministry position that felt too small? It trained me in faithfulness with little so I could be trusted with much.
Consider the specific tools forged during my old season:
Relational capital. The people I met, the connections I made, the bridges I built, these aren’t accidental. God positions people in my path during one season who will be essential in another. The person who seems peripheral to my current story may be central to my next chapter. Don’t burn bridges behind you. The relationships forged in the old season often become the support system for the new one.
Experiential knowledge. There’s a difference between knowing something theoretically and knowing it through experience. My old season gave me experience that can’t be taught in a classroom or learned from a book. I know what it feels like to trust God when I can’t see a way forward. I know how to lead when no one is following. I know how to worship when nothing in my circumstances warrants it. This experiential knowledge is a tool I’ll use repeatedly.
Spiritual authority. Authority isn’t given, it’s earned through faithfulness. Every time I chose obedience in the old season, every time I trusted God despite my circumstances, every time I remained faithful when it would have been easier to quit, I were building spiritual authority. This authority isn’t about position or title. It’s about the weight my words carry in the spiritual realm because my life backs up what I say. The new season will require authority I didn’t need in the old one, and the old season forged that authority in me.
Problem-solving capabilities. The challenges I faced in the old season developed my ability to navigate complexity, think strategically, and find solutions where none seemed to exist. I learned how to function in ambiguity, how to make decisions with incomplete information, how to pivot when plans fall apart. These capabilities seem normal to me now, but they’re extraordinary, and they’re tools I’ll need.
Theological frameworks. My understanding of God expanded during the old season, often through situations that challenged what I thought I knew. I discovered truths about His character that comfort can never teach. I learned that He’s faithful not just when He gives me what I want, but when He gives me what I need. I discovered that His goodness isn’t measured by my circumstances but by His nature. These theological frameworks will anchor me when the new season brings its own storms.
Melissa Saulnier
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