Don\u2019t you love new things?<\/p>\n
Whether fragrant new rose blossoms, a new hair style, a new dress, a new sofa, a new car, a new recipe\u2026most of us enjoy new.<\/p>\n
New<\/em> triggers excitement. And usually it measures up to our expectations.<\/p>\n Do you want to hear something really exciting?<\/p>\n \u201cTherefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new\u201d (2 Corinthians 5:17).<\/p>\n Now that\u2019s good news! One who accepts Christ as Savior and Lord becomes a new<\/em> creation. The old is gone. All things become new<\/em>. It doesn\u2019t get any better.<\/p>\n As I thought about that awesome reality, this came to mind, written by Apostle Paul: \u201cBrethren, 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\u201d (Philippians 3:13-14).<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\nA 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><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n One night as I wrestled this annoying intruder, the Lord reminded me that forgetting is a choice.<\/p>\n Top two reasons to forget the past: it\u2019s unchangeable and it wasn\u2019t 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?<\/p>\n In the darkness I stopped wrestling and began silently praising the Lord for making all things new. He reminded me of this amazing promise. \u201cRemember 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\u201d (Isaiah 43:18-19).<\/p>\n\u201cRemember 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\u201d (Isaiah\u2026 <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n So what\u2019s troubling you? Things you did that you wish you hadn\u2019t done? Things you didn\u2019t do that you wish you had?<\/p>\n Concerning things you wish you hadn\u2019t 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\u2026a new beginning.<\/p>\n Concerning things you wish you had done: if they lie within God\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n I don\u2019t know about you but I\u2019m tired of letting the past spoil the present and steal my future. I\u2019m rounding up my regrets and laying them at the feet of Jesus, trusting him to do a new thing.<\/p>\n I can\u2019t wait to see what he has in mind!<\/p>\n Can you identify what is holding you back from living in joy and expectation? I\u2019d be grateful if you\u2019d leave a comment. And please share this article with your friends.<\/p>\n \u00a9 Dianne Barker 2021<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Don\u2019t 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\u2026most of us enjoy new. New triggers excitement. And usually it measures up to our expectations. Do you want to hear something really exciting? \u201cTherefore if any man be in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3],"tags":[708,9,245,165,121,709],"class_list":["post-1587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general","tag-all-things-new","tag-dianne-barker","tag-forget-the-past","tag-forgiveness","tag-regret","tag-rivers-in-the-desert"],"yoast_head":"\n