This devotional was written by Chloee Jean.
“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
At the end of every year, my family and I ask God to give us a word and a passage of scripture to enter the new year with. Typically for me, I’ll receive the word with a worship song and, later in the year, God reveals to me the scripture He has for me. However, this year was a bit different.
I started seeking God for the word and passage back in November, 2020. For some reason, I knew that whatever the word would be, it would change my perspective going into 2021. After everything I’ve been through — losing relationships, struggling with self worth, not knowing what would happen next, feeling lost and insecure and unsure — I really believed that maybe, just maybe, 2021 will be a year of a promise of something new; a change, even.
One morning, while I was praying, God gently whispered to my heart, “New things. I am going to do new things in your life next year.” Not gonna lie, I thought it was too good to be true. I thought that it was a Chloee thought, not a God thought. Then, like He knew I was going to doubt, He gave me scripture to confirm His word to me. I’ve only read this scripture a handful of times but somehow knew word for word — totally a God thought! The Scripture was Isaiah 43:19, “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.”.
New thing.
To be honest, this passage made me cry. There was hope after all. The wilderness that I felt I was walking around over, and over, and over again, God has promised He is making a way for me. The desert, or the wasteland, that felt so dry and empty, that nothing grew in, God has promised He is going to place in it rivers and bring it back to life. Why? Because it’s His nature.
My friend, God brings life to the barren places. He brings back to life what was once dead. He opens the windows, letting bursts of light into the darkest corners of our lives. He doesn’t abandon us and leave us to our own devices, He comes in and creates a new thing from the old. We no longer have to dwell in dry seasons of our lives. We no longer have to walk in circles. God is going to refresh us and show us the way to go. He’s just that good. It’s His nature.
Honestly, Your Nature by Kari Jobe speaks to my gentle heart, and is also the worship song I believe God has given me for this new year. I cry just about every time I listen to it. It reminds me of the very person my Heavenly Father is and that He hasn’t forgotten about me. Every single heartache I’ve experienced hasn’t gone unnoticed. Every lost relationship hasn’t gone unnoticed. Every single time, He has seen me and my circumstance and the entire time He knew what He was doing. He knew He was going to do a new thing in me and in my life. But first, those things had to happen so I can truly experience the new thing He was doing for me.
I want to encourage you today to perceive what God is doing new in you and your life. Stop dwelling on the past. The longer you dwell there, the longer it will take you to fully perceive and comprehend what God is doing new. If God isn’t dwelling on the past, why should we?
Perceive the new thing, my friend, and praise Him before the breakthrough. God is making a way in the desert and providing streams in the wasteland. There is hope and there will be a new thing.
be. made new.
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Chloee Jean is a youth leader, a Podcaster, a Digital Creator, Worship Leader, Social Media Manager, and a firm believer in Christ. She was born and raised in a Christian home and spent her days as a little girl singing songs, playing around on the piano, and drawing with her crayons. After years of hardships and trials, Chloee found escape in her music and writing her own lyrics. She pursued a Worship Leader certificate at Bethel Music’s Worship School. When she completed her course, she led worship with her sister, Aliseea, at a small youth group they were both currently serving in. After they both stepped down from that role and during 2020’s pandemic, Chloee started her own podcast called W.O.W and small business, Simply by Chloee Jean. She now finds joy in speaking God’s Word, singing about it occasionally with her sister, and creating digital designs to point others back to God and His Word. When Chloee isn’t designing or podcasting, she spends quality time with her family by having game nights, a movie marathon, or even jamming out to some worship songs. To find her on social media, check out her Instagram page!