Let Go of the Past, God Is Doing a New Thing
“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.”
There are times in life when the hardest thing to do is simply to let go. Not because we want to hold on to the past, but because the past has held on to us. Memories, disappointments, regrets, missed opportunities, painful moments, all of these can settle in our hearts and shape the way we think, speak, and live.
But God, in His kindness, gives us a gentle instruction. “Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past.” He is not asking us to erase our memories. He is teaching us not to let the past have power over our future. Letting go does not mean pretending things never happened. It means refusing to allow what happened then to control what God is doing now.
In my sermon, I shared how your life is like a car journey. If you spend too much time staring in the rear view mirror, you will crash into what is ahead of you. The rear view mirror has a purpose, but it is not meant to dominate your vision. In the same way, your past can inform you, but it cannot lead you. God has placed a windscreen in front of you for a reason. That is where your future is. That is where your purpose is. That is where His promise is.
We often hold on to things because we fear that letting go means losing something. But the truth is the opposite. Letting go is how we make room for what God wants to bring into our lives. He cannot pour new wine into old wineskins. He cannot fill hands that are still gripping yesterday. Isaiah reminds us that God is doing a new thing. Not might do, not could do, but is doing. Right now, even if you cannot see it, God is making a way in places you thought were dead ends.
Letting go might mean releasing guilt from a mistake you made years ago. It might mean forgiving someone who hurt you deeply. It might mean releasing a season of your life that has ended. It might mean choosing not to relive old conversations that left scars on your heart. Letting go may feel painful at first, but it is the doorway to freedom.
Sometimes we cling to the past because it is familiar, even if it is painful. Moving forward requires faith. It requires trust. It requires a fresh surrender. But you can do it, because God is with you. He is not asking you to walk into the unknown alone. He promises that as you step forward, He will make a way in the wilderness and bring streams into dry places.
You do not have to carry yesterday into tomorrow. You do not have to rehearse old hurts or replay old failures. God has something new for you. A new beginning. A new chapter. A new season of growth. A new sense of purpose. Letting go is not losing. Letting go is receiving.
So today, take a deep breath. Release what has held you. And open your heart to the new thing God is doing. You will not miss what God has prepared for you when you walk with Him.
Prayer of the Day:
Father, thank You for the new thing You are doing in my life. Help me to let go of everything that holds me back. Heal my heart, renew my mind, and lead me forward into Your purpose. Give me courage to trust You with my future. In Jesus name, Amen.