God Does Do-Overs
“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: 19
Do you have past failures that trouble you? Are they significant enough to you that accumulated they cause you to tend to feel you have a failure complex? To use a colloquium they bug you.
The prophet Isaiah wrote God’s message to the people of God who were in captivity in Babylon saying: “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)
W – O – W !
There are more good things in the past of all of us than we tend to remember. However, don’t expect past victories to sustain you. Don’t rob yourself by not reflecting on them with gratitude. Don’t be an ingrate failing to thank the Lord for them. Pause and consider that.
Conversely, don’t allow past failures to paralyze you. Isaiah’s prophecies to the children of Israel came at a bleak period in their history. They were in captivity, in exile in Babylon. People lost everything back home that they thought would be theirs forever. They were homesick and dreaming of going back, but life was going nowhere. If God could do a new thing for them He surely can for you.
The fear of failing again can cause hesitation and potentially immobilize you. Sure, to act is to risk failure. Failure to act guarantees failure. God has already removed all obstacles of coming to Him.
Be realistic about your past. Also be confident about your future. Our God is a God of new beginnings. He prefaces making all things new by forgiving all things past predicated on contrition, confession, and commitment. Once that is established expect God’s smile to accompany His mighty right hand as He makes all things new. Accept that word “all.” Your past failures and brokenness no longer rule over you, define or defeat you. He specializes in makeovers.
Pray the prayer of David who asked of the Lord, “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Ps 51:10). Heart is a metaphor for the control center of one’s life. It starts there and permeates all of life.
Regarding your self-image, remember there is a difference in saying I failed and I am a failure. You are a new creature in Christ. Believe it and act accordingly.
Be loyal to the royal blood that flows in your veins. You are not alone. He who does new things is your loving Lord.