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“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?”
- Isaiah 43:19
Have you ever been so focused on what God did in the past that you almost missed what He was doing in the present? It's easy to do. We remember answered prayers, miracles, or doors that opened, or we focus on seasons when everything seemed so clear, only to miss what is happening right in front of us.
Sometimes we become so attached to how God worked before that we expect Him to work the same way again. But God isn't limited to repeating yesterday's miracles. He is constantly doing new things.
Through Isaiah, God reminded His people not to focus so much on the past that they miss the future. "See, I am doing a new thing!" I love that! God loves to bless us and do new things in our lives. He doesn’t say, "I might do something new." He says, “I am doing it!” Present tense. God may already be working on something you haven't recognized yet.
Recently, I have been creating a lot of art. Sounds so simple, but I got inspired. I have been dabbling in watercolors and drawing, and God gave me an idea for how to use my art, so I wake up excited to create these new things in the evening after work. Maybe the ending you're grieving is making room for a beginning you haven't imagined.
Maybe the closed door is redirecting you toward a better one, or the disappointment is forcing you to release something you were never meant to carry. As we release that tight grip we have on something God is prying loose from our hands, it isn’t to leave us standing there with empty upraised hands. It is to fill them with good and new things.
Maybe God is changing you before He changes your circumstances. New beginnings can be frightening because they're unfamiliar. We're often more comfortable with a painful situation we understand than a hopeful situation we don't. But faith requires us to step into what God is doing without demanding that He show us the entire picture.
He tells us: "I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." God specializes in making paths where none exist. Isn’t that comforting? He is a creator who loves to show us His beauty. He creates rivers in dry places and brings life to the desert. So don't assume that because you can't see a way forward, there isn't one.
God may be creating a path right now. Our job isn’t to always understand what God is doing, but to take notice of it. He says to us, "Do you not perceive it?" So don’t look at the desert; look to God. The new thing may already be beginning.
Prayer: God, open my eyes to the new things You are doing. Help me release my expectations of how You should work and give me faith to recognize Your hand in unfamiliar places. Make a way where I cannot see one. Amen.
With Love,
Sherry Shepherd
Sometimes the hardest part of stepping into something new is letting go of what we've known.
We can become so familiar with the past that we keep looking backward, even when God is inviting us forward.
But what if you paused today and asked, “Lord, what are You doing that I haven't noticed yet?”
God doesn't ask you to understand every detail of the path ahead. He asks you to trust Him enough to look for the new thing He is already beginning to do.
Take a few quiet moments to put that question on paper. Let your journal become a place to release what is behind you, recognize what God is doing now, and make room for what He may be leading you toward.
Journal & Reflect
- What “former thing” are you still tempted to dwell on or carry with you?
- What would it look like to release that season into God's hands?
- Where have you recently noticed God doing something new in your life?
- Is there an area where you feel like you're in a wilderness or waiting for a way forward? What would trusting God look like there?
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Isaiah 43:19 mean?
Isaiah 43:19 is an invitation to recognize that God is at work in new ways. He tells His people not to remain focused on what has already happened but to look for what He is beginning to do. The verse uses the imagery of making a way in the wilderness and bringing water to the desert.
What does “I am doing a new thing” mean?
It points to God's ability to bring renewal, restoration, direction, and new possibilities—even in circumstances that seem barren or impossible.
How do I let go of the past?
Letting go doesn't mean pretending the past didn't happen. It means refusing to let it determine your identity or prevent you from trusting God with what comes next. Prayer, Scripture, honest reflection, and journaling can help you surrender what you're carrying.
What if I don't see the “new thing” yet?
You may not see it immediately. Sometimes God's work begins quietly within us before it becomes visible around us. Continue praying, paying attention, and trusting His timing.
How can journaling help me through a new season?
Journaling gives you space to process change honestly, pray through uncertainty, and record the ways God is leading you. Looking back later can also help you recognize growth and faithfulness that you couldn't see in the moment.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You that You are always at work, even when I cannot see what You are doing.
Help me release the things I need to leave behind. Keep me from allowing my past to define my future or my fears to keep me from following You.
Open my eyes to the new things You are bringing forth. Help me recognize Your hand in the small things, trust You in the uncertain things, and follow You when You make a way where I cannot yet see one.
Give me courage for this new season and a heart that is willing to believe that You are still writing my story.
In Jesus' name,
Amen
Message from Kara
Sometimes we spend so much time looking at what was that we miss what God is doing right in front of us.
I've had seasons where I couldn't understand why a door closed, why a plan changed, or why God seemed quiet. But looking back, I can see that He was often preparing the way for something I couldn't yet imagine.
That's what I love about Isaiah 43:19. God doesn't ask us to figure everything out. He simply invites us to look.
“See, I am doing a new thing.”
My prayer for you is that you'll have the courage to release what is behind you, the faith to trust what you can't yet see, and the eyes to recognize the new thing God is already bringing forth.
You may not know exactly where the road leads.
But you can trust the One who is making the way.
With love ,
Kara 🤍
Applying this to your Daily Routine
Take time to reflect, pray, and process what God is teaching you through every season. Our Personalized Prayer Journal was designed to help you grow deeper in faith—one day at a time–turning intention into habit. Many people use journals to revisit verses like these and reflect throughout the week.
👉 Explore Personalized Scripture Products at www.papersunday.com
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