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.
- Isaiah 43:18–19 (NIV)
- Isaiah 43:18–19 (NIV)
Spring
is a season of movement. The days grow longer, the air changes, and the earth
begins to wake up after months of winter.
But sometimes the hardest part of moving forward isn’t the step ahead — it’s letting go of what’s behind us.
Letting go is hard. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, a relationship that has ended, or trying to pick up the pieces after life didn’t unfold the way we expected, moving forward is not easy. People often expect us to bounce back and be our old selves in a matter of days, when in reality all we want — and sometimes all we need — is time to mourn.
God understands that.
Through the prophet Isaiah, He gives a simple but powerful reminder: forget the former things and do not dwell on the past. That doesn’t mean the past didn’t matter or that it didn’t shape us. It simply means that God is not finished writing our story.
Too often we hold onto things that keep us stuck — mistakes we’ve made, regrets we carry, disappointments we didn’t expect, or even seasons that simply didn’t turn out the way we hoped.
I’ve noticed in my own life that it’s easy to replay old moments in my mind. Things I wish I had done differently or opportunities I missed. But when we stay focused on what’s behind us, we can miss what God is doing right in front of us.
Isaiah reminds us that God is always at work, creating something new. Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes it’s just beginning to “spring up” quietly where we least expect it.
Just like the first flowers pushing through the soil, God often begins new things in small ways.
Our part is to notice… and to trust Him enough to keep moving forward.
When we release the weight of yesterday, our hands are free to receive what God is doing today.
But sometimes the hardest part of moving forward isn’t the step ahead — it’s letting go of what’s behind us.
Letting go is hard. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, a relationship that has ended, or trying to pick up the pieces after life didn’t unfold the way we expected, moving forward is not easy. People often expect us to bounce back and be our old selves in a matter of days, when in reality all we want — and sometimes all we need — is time to mourn.
God understands that.
Through the prophet Isaiah, He gives a simple but powerful reminder: forget the former things and do not dwell on the past. That doesn’t mean the past didn’t matter or that it didn’t shape us. It simply means that God is not finished writing our story.
Too often we hold onto things that keep us stuck — mistakes we’ve made, regrets we carry, disappointments we didn’t expect, or even seasons that simply didn’t turn out the way we hoped.
I’ve noticed in my own life that it’s easy to replay old moments in my mind. Things I wish I had done differently or opportunities I missed. But when we stay focused on what’s behind us, we can miss what God is doing right in front of us.
Isaiah reminds us that God is always at work, creating something new. Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes it’s just beginning to “spring up” quietly where we least expect it.
Just like the first flowers pushing through the soil, God often begins new things in small ways.
Our part is to notice… and to trust Him enough to keep moving forward.
When we release the weight of yesterday, our hands are free to receive what God is doing today.