by Martha June

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it?” Isaiah 43:18-19

Isaiah chapter 43 has been one of my favorite chapters in the Bible for some time now. Tucked inside of this chapter holds God’s promise that we are His, that He will never leave us, and we will be with Him someday. 

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames shall not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:1-2 

These verses have been a great encouragement to me over the past year and still continue to be.

For the sake of this post, I would like to focus specifically on Isaiah 43:18-19.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.”

The older I get, the more I realize how I have let the past define me. Have you ever made a mistake? Hurt a friend? Chose the wrong path? Have you ever let those moments define you? Even unintentionally?

Me too.

Friends, it is so easy to live with the mistakes we make.

I don’t know about you, but this year I want that to change.

God has been speaking something to my heart this January.

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up, do you not perceive it?” 

God does not want us to focus on our failures, shortcomings, or mistakes. I believe he wants us to learn from them, but not dwell on them forever. God did not send His son Jesus so we could live stuck in the past. He sent Jesus so we could have salvation! He sent Jesus so we might know what true love and freedom feel like, even when we don’t deserve it.

“Though your sins are scarlet, they shall be made white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18

So in this new month, at the beginning of 2018, I am asking you to look forward to the future. Cast all anxiety aside. Give your worries, mistakes, and fears to Jesus.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?” Matthew 6:25 

I have allowed my past to speak to who I am today. The reality is I am no longer in the past, but in the present.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 

January is the month of beginnings; a brand new opportunity to start fresh. This year I am going to make an effort to focus on today.

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:34 

Will you join me?

“He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3 

“Sing to the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him. The Lord has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations. he has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Isreal; all the ends of the earth have to see the salvation of the Lord.” Psalm 98:1-3

Starting right now, let us be thankful for all the new things God is doing in our lives. Let us put all of our hurts and hangups aside and make this the year we “bloom where we are planted.”

“Consider the lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28) They grow where they are planted. Many of us refuse to grow where God plants us. Therefore, we don’t take root anywhere. Jesus said if we would obey the life of God within us, He would look after all the other things.” -Oswald Chambers “My Utmost for His Highest” 

May this verse be January’s anthem

“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.”  Zechariah 4:10

Sincerely,

peppermint camomile tea addict