Nor consider the things of old.
Behold, I will do a new thing,
Now it shall spring forth;
Shall you not know it?
I will even make a road in the wilderness
And rivers in the desert."
~Isaiah 43:18-19 NKJV
A few years ago, I read this verse with the encouragement that God was about to do a new thing in my life. We were going through infertility, and I took it as a promise that God would eventually make us parents in His perfect way & timing.
Looking back, I could never have predicted all of the "new things" God had in mind. Frankly, if He had shown them all to me ahead of time, I might have run the other way!
~He blessed us with a son through adoption, prompting me to write Praying Through Your Adoption.
~He removed me from my church secretary position and cleared the way to pursue my childhood love of writing.
~He moved us to a different home, and brought my parents to live with us in their own in-law suite.
~He provided lap-band surgery as a tool for permanent weight loss and a healthier life.
~He prompted us to leave our church home of 13 years to find one in our new community.
~He's surrounded me with family, friends & mentors who are encouraging me in these new opportunities.
Great, huh?
Well, now it's confession time. I did not embrace each new thing as it was happening. I asked questions like...
~Why would God make us suffer through unsuccessful fertility treatments followed by a difficult and delayed adoption?
~Why would God fire me as a church secretary and challenge me to grieve in the midst of adjusting to motherhood?
~Why would God make me an only child?
~Why would God give me a life-long struggle with weight & self-esteem?
~Why would God remove us from the comforts of the church where we were baptized, married, and in ministry?
~Why would God remove dear friends from our lives?
Then, it hit me.
LET Him!
Let Him. Any difficulty, any hurt I experienced in these changes pales in comparison to the blessings of His divine plan. I have a completely different life than the one I envisioned because of the Master Craftsman.
When God wants to do a new thing in your life, don't fight Him. LET Him. Amen?
