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“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”  Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)

Who doesn’t love new? There’s nothing like new car smell, and a freshly painted new house invites entertaining. Have to admit, I love using new appliances and wearing a new outfit is so special. Traveling to a new destination fills us with awe. All the newness we enjoy.

Hate to admit it, but not all “new” things are initially embraced. New also  denotes  a different direction, unprecedented, never seen before and definitely doesn’t mean the new will be easy. We’ve probably all traveled this journey of new seasons in our lives and struggled through challenging times. Perhaps God redirected all our plans, and we really didn’t want His new; we so loved the comfort of old, familiar. Could it be that new invoked a deep sense of regret. Sometimes new dictates a change in our relationship status. Friends move away. Illness appears unannounced. Marriages break apart. Death rearranges without permission. Sometimes new ushers in financial strains and unwanted hard decisions.

Regardless of how we experience new, God is always present in every welcomed and unwelcomed re-direction. In scripture, wildernesses and deserts are symbolic of testing, spiritual growth, and divine encounters. In these new places in our journey disguised as barren and desolate, God transforms  and shapes us for His purposes. The birthing of new within us spiritually is far more valuable than our comfort.

Absolutely love  this quote from Ruth Schwenk about the newness of change:

“Somethings change you forever. There is something within you that loss cannot steal. Something that disappointment cannot erase. Something that suffering can’t touch. Maybe that’s what resilience really is. Not becoming someone who has never been broken but discovering what remains after the breaking.”

Webster defines resilience in a similar way:  “The capability of a body to recover and/or readjust after compressive stress.”

While none of us would ask for the newness of loss, disappointment, stress or suffering, I love the way God uses it in our lives to build in resilience. Reflecting on Ruth’s quote, loss can’t steal our memories. Disappointment doesn’t erase God’s faithfulness in the journey. Suffering can’t touch the power of our redeemed testimony birthed in dependence on Him.

The word “behold” in our verse reveals a pivotal truth – it functions as a summons rather than a casual glance at the words to follow. Behold in scripture often denotes a request to confront something unanticipated and obscure rather than simply observe. It’s a call to response and in Isaiah 43:19,  it’s an invitation to respond to what God is about to do in our lives with a reassurance He will make a way. We can confidently place our faith and trust in God to turn our wilderness and desert into transformational moments in our lives.

Somethings change us forever, but the choice of resilience or resistance is totally up to us. Where we focus our gaze and our mind will be the determining factor. Nothing “new” is ever wasted when we view it from God’s loving perspective. When we lean into His wisdom, we avoid missing the joys birthed in new even when it was unwanted.

“Jesus how I love the way you work within all things that touch our lives to create resilience and dependence on You. We can trust You to make a way where we see no way.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life