Forget the former things;
Do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
And streams in the wasteland.
(Isaiah 43:18-19)
Do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
And streams in the wasteland.
(Isaiah 43:18-19)
These verses have defined the past two weeks of my life. I always knew that 2009 would hold so many changes, but I never thought those changes would start turning my life around so soon! I don't know what I would have done without my God... my gracious and loving Father holding me up and giving me hope for a new day.
I'm not the same person I was two weeks ago. I love being able to say that! That's proof that the Lord is at work in my life, not because I deserve it by any means, but because He who promised is faithful, and He who began a good work in me is carrying it onto completion. I haven't always had this outlook on things... sometimes I wondered WHY he was teaching me so much and WHY He didn't want to just leave me the same! But that sounds so silly to me right now. Why on earth would I want to be the same person? Why would I want weak, selfish, sinful, human Rebecca to keep on living in me when I could hide myself in Christ and surrender everything that is weak and impure for the One who is complete? I don't want that. I want to be renewed day by day.
It's funny now when I think back to last semester... I prayed so much that I would be able to lay down my life, my desires, my hopes, my dreams, my emotions, my pride, my everything to have Him become great in my life, taking over everything. I prayed so much that Rebecca would die and that I would die daily to myself. God is SO faithful to His promises that He did just that. He took away things in my life that I desired and that I thought were best for me and replaced them with an immense need for Him. A deep longing... a thirst that can't be quenched by anything or anyone but my Creator.
There have been times these past few weeks when I have been so helpless and broken, recognizing that the Lord is ALL I need. I don't need food. I don't need love. I don't need people. I don't need success. I don't need direction. I don't need everything the world says I need to have a happy, healthy life. I just need the Lord. And He's so good that when I finally saw my need for Him, He started healing, renewing, and satisfying me in ways I could never imagine.
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hands have provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.
If I can take anything away from these few weeks, it would be His command to forget the former things and to stop dwelling on the past... for me to stop thinking about what was, what could have been, what didn't happen, what hurt, what broke me, what was wonderful, what was normal, what was beautiful, what was painful, the possibilities of happiness, blah blah blah. basically everything that has ever happened. FORGET THESE THINGS, BECCA... That's what He's been telling me. I AM DOING A NEW THING! Don't you see it? I'm making a way in the desert.
Those words have brought so much healing into my life. My Daddy is making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. These times of refining and brokenness in my life are preparing for me a new, beautiful thing that He is doing and making for me. In me. through me. I'm so excited. I can't wait to see it... and while I wait, I can enjoy the presence of my loving Father. I can be assured that His hand is upon me and that my heart is safely hidden in His hands. There's no safer place. That's exactly where I want to be.
I'm not the same person I was two weeks ago. I love being able to say that! That's proof that the Lord is at work in my life, not because I deserve it by any means, but because He who promised is faithful, and He who began a good work in me is carrying it onto completion. I haven't always had this outlook on things... sometimes I wondered WHY he was teaching me so much and WHY He didn't want to just leave me the same! But that sounds so silly to me right now. Why on earth would I want to be the same person? Why would I want weak, selfish, sinful, human Rebecca to keep on living in me when I could hide myself in Christ and surrender everything that is weak and impure for the One who is complete? I don't want that. I want to be renewed day by day.
It's funny now when I think back to last semester... I prayed so much that I would be able to lay down my life, my desires, my hopes, my dreams, my emotions, my pride, my everything to have Him become great in my life, taking over everything. I prayed so much that Rebecca would die and that I would die daily to myself. God is SO faithful to His promises that He did just that. He took away things in my life that I desired and that I thought were best for me and replaced them with an immense need for Him. A deep longing... a thirst that can't be quenched by anything or anyone but my Creator.
There have been times these past few weeks when I have been so helpless and broken, recognizing that the Lord is ALL I need. I don't need food. I don't need love. I don't need people. I don't need success. I don't need direction. I don't need everything the world says I need to have a happy, healthy life. I just need the Lord. And He's so good that when I finally saw my need for Him, He started healing, renewing, and satisfying me in ways I could never imagine.
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hands have provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me.
If I can take anything away from these few weeks, it would be His command to forget the former things and to stop dwelling on the past... for me to stop thinking about what was, what could have been, what didn't happen, what hurt, what broke me, what was wonderful, what was normal, what was beautiful, what was painful, the possibilities of happiness, blah blah blah. basically everything that has ever happened. FORGET THESE THINGS, BECCA... That's what He's been telling me. I AM DOING A NEW THING! Don't you see it? I'm making a way in the desert.
Those words have brought so much healing into my life. My Daddy is making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. These times of refining and brokenness in my life are preparing for me a new, beautiful thing that He is doing and making for me. In me. through me. I'm so excited. I can't wait to see it... and while I wait, I can enjoy the presence of my loving Father. I can be assured that His hand is upon me and that my heart is safely hidden in His hands. There's no safer place. That's exactly where I want to be.
awesome!! love it...so encouraging for me
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