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 desert and streams in the wasteland.  

- Isaiah 43:18-19

Are you going through a difficult time right now? Are you struggling to get out of bed? Or do you feel stuck, lost, and alone? Sometimes when we go through trials and have hurdles to overcome, the past looks better than our present.

We might even look back on the past with rose-colored glasses--longing for what we had then.

Maybe you miss a loved one who has gone to heaven or a relationship that is no longer in your life.

Perhaps you miss a time in your life when you could do something you can’t do now.

The world tells us we must have wealth, love, a family, a spouse, and power to be happy.

But God says, He is enough! He even tells us not to look back because He is doing something new up ahead.

Whatever your desert situation is, take heart! Trust God. He can make all things new. He says that even in the most desolate places, He can make streams flow.

As I imagine a stream, it brings up memories of putting my feet in a freezing creek in Colorado. The water was crystal clear, clean, and refreshingly cold.

So, when you take that breath, and your heart aches for what is lost, trust Him that cleansing streams are flowing to you. He will bring you out of the wasteland through which you are trudging.

He tells us, “I am doing something new. Do you not perceive it?” I believe He asks us that question because He wants us to trust Him. When we can’t see what He is doing on our behalf, we need to lean into who He is and our belief in Him.

Prayer for today: Jesus, please let your presence be real to me. Let it bring order to my wandering thoughts and peace to my aching and anxious heart. Thank you for making new ways to get me through the desert. Amen.

With Love,
Sherry Shepherd