A New Thing

I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”  ~Isaiah 43:19

On March 13th, I copied this passage from Isaiah into my journal. At that time, Jim and I had become settled into our new home and new ways of living in Hurricane, WV. We were feeling fortunate with the many blessings we had found in our new neighborhood friends, in our new church community, and in our new opportunities to work and serve here. In my journal entry, I expressed my happiness and contentment with the way life was coming together. I felt that, with life in place, I was now ready to serve God in a new way.

I continued to write what I felt God was asking me that day: “Where will you go from here? Spring is around the corner- how will you blossom in a new way? What courageous new adventure will you undertake with this new life- the one I have restored, redeemed and resurrected? I am about to do a new thing. Do you not perceive it?” (I wrote “WOW!” after that entry; the words I’d received surprised me!)

Since then, I have kept the Isaiah passage on an index card at my writing desk. I have been trying to be attentive; to listen and discern any new things God may be calling me to do. But as time has passed, I have questioned if these words were truly of God after all. Could this passage be merely wishful thinking on my part?

So in my journal time with God earlier this week, I felt God was saying,

“You continue to feel this inner calling to something bigger. The message at church yesterday was about making a difference in the world. An inner spark is glowing within your soul, but you are uncertain it will ever flame into an outer light of goodness. Sometimes you even wonder if you’re deluding yourself, as time passes and you doubt your skills and stamina…

Is it your pride that leads you to wonder if you’re missing my purpose for you? Is it your impatience that prevents you from allowing my work to be done in you? Is it your doubt that questions whether these words from Isaiah came from me for you?

Perhaps your ‘new thing’ is to surrender your pride, your impatience and your doubt.”

I had to think some more about these challenging words on my morning walk! And on the way home, I heard this passage in a different way: “I am about to do a new thing. I didn’t say a BIG thing. I only said a NEW thing!”

Has my prideful dream of doing something memorable kept me from seeing the good I might do with small opportunities? Has my impatient need for progress or results kept me from remaining open to God’s work? Has my doubt about God’s active word in my life kept me from hearing more from God?

God does amazing things. Perhaps one day God may do something new- maybe even something big- through me. But for now, it seems I should allow God to continue revealing and removing my pride, impatience and doubt. Then I can simply trust that God is doing a new thing in me.

“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”