Behold, I Am Doing A New Thing

“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43:18-19‬ ‭ESV

2017 was for me a year of transition. New blessings, growth and opportunities were accompanied by new setbacks, doubts and failures. God was taking me on a ride in which He allowed me to take charge of the wheel whilst He sat in the passenger side with His feet closely floating above the safety brake pads ready to be applied.

In this process God showed me a lot about myself and exposed me to areas within my heart that were filled with cobwebs. From one situation to another, I got to see my flaws like never before.

Just like a driving instructor would guide his trainee in the way he/she should go, God was directing my path even within my setbacks and doubts. His grace was always there even in my insufficiency and pride.

Over time I began to understand and realise that this wasn’t really about me but more about God’s grace. Sometimes God allows certain things in our lives for us to change and grow. Not only was God making me aware of things that were left untouched in my heart, but He was also reminding me in a new way of His grace.

This for me was a great way to enter 2018, with knowledge of God bringing me through by His grace, pruning me in a way that was never anticipated. But with a new year comes new obstacles and challenges.

Does this resonate with you right now? Where you feel the year that just passed was a transition year for you, and just like me, God allowed you to take the wheel in order to show you He was the one in control all along?

Perhaps it may be that God was in your driving seat and He was taking you to greater heights and a deeper experience with Him, and you are wondering what your 2018 will be like with the new challenges that it will bring.

The Former Things

The deliverance of the Israelites from the hands of Egypt in the book of Exodus was a great story of Redemption. For God heard the cry of His people (Exodus 3:9) and raised up Moses as their deliverer. In this God showed that He was ever-present with His people even over the years of silence and slavery.

He not only brought them out of Egypt through the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), but God also guided them into further victories in the land of Canaan and helped them to fight off conquerors as they moved towards the promised land.

But as years went past, they found themselves being held captive by the Babylonians. They had lost every hope for the promises God had given them.

They needed to be reminded of God’s promise of victory (Exodus 43:14-21), but in order for the Israelites to walk in this new promise, it was necessary for them to let go of the former things.

The New Thing

When we encounter new challenges and new opportunities, we often tend to look back at our past experiences to help gauge how we will face the new thing.

But God is calling us into a new season and a new set of blessings which means we don’t have to focus on the things left behind but rather look ahead in anticipation of what God is about to do in our lives.

Our past victories will not be able to sustain us, neither will our past failures be able to encourage us in walking into our new season of life. The children of Israel needed to hear this as their walk from Egypt to where they were wasn’t a perfect one. They failed God in many ways but God never left them.

He was still about to do a new thing in their lives, and God is ready to do them same today for you and I – an opportunity to start over.

A Way in the Wilderness

You now may be asking yourself this question; “how do I go about living my life with this promise of a new thing?”

Just like how God wanted to bring a new victory for the Israelites that were in bondage by the Babylonians, God wants to create a new thing for you and I.

Rather than dwelling on the past or reliving the former blessings, God is ready to bring a new way in the wilderness. Let us be encouraged to look forward in FAITH knowing that He has already gone ahead of us (Deuteronomy 31:8).

God is ready to create a road for you to pass in the midst of the wilderness. But are you willing to let Him take the wheel? For His ways are not our ways, neither are His thoughts our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

God is ready to bring a new way in your wilderness.

So rather than choose to do things our way, let us instead commit our ways to Gods’s plans. For He has already set into motion all that He wants to accomplish in your life. God wants us to choose His ways above our ways.

Rivers in the Desert

Do you feel like you are running dry in areas in your life?

You may feel that your past is too bleak and you can’t seem to see any sign of vegetation ahead. Be reminded of this one true promise;

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, and because you belong to Him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you. (Romans 8:1-2)

Because we are in Christ, we are not condemned. We may fail or stumble in our plans but His LOVE, MERCY & GRACE remain the same towards us. He is more than able to transform all dried up areas in our lives and refill them with streams of living water.

Just as the Israelites had to believe in what God was saying to receive His blessing and deliverance, be encouraged to not just believe in God, but BELIEVE GOD in all that He has said concerning you. Put your TRUST in God as you let Him be the driver of your future.

Proclamation

“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