Don’t you love new things?
Whether fragrant new rose blossoms, a new hair style, a new dress, a new sofa, a new car, a new recipe…most of us enjoy new.
New triggers excitement. And usually it measures up to our expectations.
Do you want to hear something really exciting?
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Now that’s good news! One who accepts Christ as Savior and Lord becomes a new creation. The old is gone. All things become new. It doesn’t get any better.
As I thought about that awesome reality, this came to mind, written by Apostle Paul: “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).
A huge hindrance to living in the reality of newness is our inability to forget the past. Most of us are never far from regret. It camps at our door, waiting for an opportunity to slip inside, crawl in bed with us, and rob our rest.
A huge hindrance to living in the reality of newness is our inability to forget the past. Most of us are never far from regret. It camps at our door, waiting for an opportunity to slip inside, crawl in bed with us, and rob our rest. Click To TweetOne night as I wrestled this annoying intruder, the Lord reminded me that forgetting is a choice.
Top two reasons to forget the past: it’s unchangeable and it wasn’t very good. Good memories bring joy. Bad memories smother joy. Why would I choose to continue in an undesirable place, replaying bad memories and pumping strength into regret?
In the darkness I stopped wrestling and began silently praising the Lord for making all things new. He reminded me of this amazing promise. “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah 43:18-19).
“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert” (Isaiah… Click To TweetSo what’s troubling you? Things you did that you wish you hadn’t done? Things you didn’t do that you wish you had?
Concerning things you wish you hadn’t done: there is forgiveness. Take advantage of it. Then forget it, meaning put it out of mind and replace it with thanksgiving to the Lord for a clean slate…a new beginning.
Concerning things you wish you had done: if they lie within God’s will, then move forward and spend your time and energy fulfilling those wishes. To do so, you may need for the Lord to make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. He said he could do that.
I don’t know about you but I’m tired of letting the past spoil the present and steal my future. I’m rounding up my regrets and laying them at the feet of Jesus, trusting him to do a new thing.
I can’t wait to see what he has in mind!
Can you identify what is holding you back from living in joy and expectation? I’d be grateful if you’d leave a comment. And please share this article with your friends.
© Dianne Barker 2021
2 responses to “Breaking News: God Makes All Things New”
Morning Diane, this post of yours was right up my alley I’m not sure if you knew we moved from Colorado to South Dakota at the beginning of the year, and felt like this was really God calling us to do this! But, things have not been the way we expected! When we left Colorado we had a house all lined up but that fell through so all her stuff went into storage and we stayed with Norm’s cousin for a few months and then finally a house became available, it was not what we were looking for but it was really the only one and so we prayed about it and took it. However it’s been a real nightmare and so many things were hidden and it’s been so costly and time-consuming to fix that we’ve kicked ourselves many times for making this wrong choice , But at the time we felt it was the right thing to do! So your post was right onThis morning and has helped me to realize that God wants us to move forward and forget the past and rejoice that he provided a place and that we will get through it!
Penelope, thanks for sharing your experience! I did not realize you had moved. That would be a huge challenge without all the other difficulties. I’m so glad my post encouraged you. Most of us struggle with the past and allow it to ruin our present. Once I shared a concern with a friend, who said, “If it happened five minutes ago, it’s past. Put it out of your mind.” That’s a choice–a decision. We have to make ourselves do that to live in joy. When another obstacle pops up, I’m learning that instead of resisting and grumbling, I can turn it into an opportunity to praise the Lord and trust Him to lead me through it and resolve it. Another time, when I was questioning a decision I’d made, I told a friend, “I felt peace at the time.” She said, “You can’t argue with peace.” I’ve always remembered that. We go on the peace we have at the time. Even when things don’t turn out as expected, we can know God has a purpose. Thanks again for commenting, my friend!