Somehow as the new year has started, I’ve been camping out in Isaiah 43:16-19 and it states:
This is what the Lord says—
he who made a way through the sea,
a path through the mighty waters,
17 who drew out the chariots and horses,
the army and reinforcements together,
and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:
18 “Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
19 See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
As I read this passage on how the Lord was making a path through the mighty waters, the words “Forget the Former things… do not dwell on the past” jumped out at me.
There’s a saying, the windshield is so much larger than the rearview mirror because that is where our focus should be. When you sit in a car and look forward, there is so much to see – we get to see the direction we are headed in. When you glance – in the rearview mirror – we get to see what’s behind us. I’m intentionally using the word glance – as you are driving, you only have time to glance. If you stare too long in the rearview mirror – you can end up in an accident because you have stopped focusing on what is ahead.
I think that is a great metaphor for life. It’s important to glance at our past – but we cannot stay stuck there – or we will not get to the places we need to get to in our futures. By the way, let me pause here and say: if there are things in your past life that is causing you to live there, it might be worth getting help. If there are situations that you are unable to move from because they were so traumatic – you should seek help. I believe with my whole heart that you can have Jesus and a therapist too. Just like I believe you can have Jesus and a financial advisor. Sometimes it takes someone else to help you to see things that you cannot because you are not trained in that area.
Jesus gives us the wisdom to seek out what we need.
Verse 19 continues, “See, I am doing a new thing. Do you not perceive it?”
Friends, if we are so busy looking at the past, we will not be able to see the new things that God is doing in our lives – and it can take longer to get to the destination that God intended for us.
In order for us to get to the pathway home, we need to acknowledge the past, but forget about the former things – and allow God to do the new things He has in store for us.
I’m ready and excited for what God will do – I hope you are too.
Dear Heavenly Father, I’m so grateful how you highlight things you need for us to learn. Thank you for continuing to repeat lessons so that they may be ingrained in our brains and on our hearts. Help us to look forward to the good things you have in store – and not to dwell on the former things.