This New Place of Faith: Perception

“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? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43: 18-19).

A lot of times I miss the former things. I miss the things that God has called me out from. Sure I had a horrible boyfriend and sure I was depressed beyond measure, but my misery was comfortable and familiar. This new place, this process, is hard and lonely. I feel misunderstood everywhere I go, but I am aware that God is doing a new thing. Leaving Egypt was painful, uncomfortable, and loud. The problems in our lives can be so loud that they threaten to drown out the voice of God, but this new thing, this new thing has a process attached to it because the Egypt in us has to die. It takes a process to be comfortable in misery and it takes a process to understand that loving misery is dysfunctional. In this new place of God, our eyes have to be fresh and our faith level has to be high so that nothing will cause us to miss our old home. Misery was home for many of us and God is calling us out.

Although this place of process hurts, the shedding is revealing something new. Some animals have to shed their old skin so that they can grow. God has no limits, but yet we limit him. God is trying to grow us, but we love our dead skin so much that we fight him in the process. Don’t get stuck in the wilderness for 40 years because of your fight to stay the same.

Even though this new place feels like a dry, hurtful, lonely place of abandonment, the word of God says that he is “making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43: 18-19). Don’t allow yourself to become overwhelmed by your enemies. In this season stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. A new level comes with new tests and trials.

Lord in Jesus name, help my perception. Lord, allow me to recognize when you are moving on my behalf. This place, these experiences, are not for nothing. Help me to be patient in this process. Help me not to waver in my faith. Fill my mouth with your will so that I won’t be so focused on my own. In Jesus name, amen <3

Recommended Reading: Joshua chapters 13-14. This seems like a lot, but I thought about Joshua and Caleb being the only men who saw the land that God was giving his people and gave a good report about it. They saw the blessing and not the things that others perceived as negative. You need fresh eyes and faith to get to where God is taking you.

Genesis 16:13; 21: 8-21. These verses help me remember that God sees and hears me<3

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JaNina B.

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