Devotionals for the Heart: When God promises to give you something new

A Promise of Something New
A devotional written by Essie Faye Taylor

“Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.”—Isaiah 42:9 (KJV)

The minute I walked into my apartment the stench was unbearable.

I gasped for air as I pinched my nose between my finger and thumb. I squinted my eyes and made a whistling sound with my mouth. “What is that smell?”

I opened the door and windows to let in the fresh air. Then I quickly searched the house to locate the smell. I opened the refrigerator in search of spoiled food. Finally, I found the culprit. It was the trashcan. There was a bag of spoiled raw chicken in there.

The smell of old food permeated the entire house, making breathing unbearable. I have a question for you: What old thing in your life is stinking up your thinking or your perspective of life? Are you allowing old thoughts and hurts to hold you captive and prohibit you from experiencing the new blessings that the Lord promises?

In the text, the eagle-eye prophet Isaiah declares a message of victory. As the mouthpiece of God, he boldly speaks of new things to come. God declares through the prophet that old things have passed. I’d like to pause here because many times, we are stuck in the past.

We are fixated on negative past experiences of fear or failure. We are trapped in the grips of unforgiveness, past pain, or grief. Don’t get me wrong, your experiences and feelings are valid. What happened was unfair, and hurtful, and the pain is real. However, God promises healing for your past. He promises to give us something fresh and brand new. God is ready to forget the former things and admonishes us to forget in the sense of not dwelling on the past. He wants us to move forward into the new blessings He has for us.

The prophet (Isaiah) declares that old things are over, meaning they have passed. We no longer have to relive our past mistakes or bad choices. They have passed.

Here are five steps you can take to forget the past and move on with your life:

Step #1: Don’t dwell on the past. Instead, remember the lessons you’ve learned. Remember the pain, but don’t get stuck there.

Step #2: Heal day by day through various strategies: therapy, prayer, and journaling. Surround yourself with faith, hope, and love.

Step #3: Partner with God to turn from the old and embrace the new.

Step #4: Rid yourself of the “smell” of the old that permeates your thinking, perspective, and life experiences. Let go of the pain and forgive those who have hurt you.

Step #5: Remember, turning from the old and embracing the new takes a paradigm shift. It is worth renewing your mind in order to walk toward a new path and a new vision. Be kind to yourself.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, You know my secrets. You know the extent of my past—the good, bad, and ugly. You are acquainted with my pain and grief. You saw it all—you were there all the time with your love, grace, and mercy. Father, heal my broken places. 

Heal me from the old things: thoughts, ideas, painful experiences, relationships, etc. that would hinder my progress in life and in Your Kingdom. You also know my future. You know my end from my beginning. Help me to believe and embrace the new things that you promise. Give me a new perspective and renew my faith in myself, in others, and most importantly in You. 

Don’t allow my past to ruin my future. Heal me and I shall be healed. Thank you Father for hearing and answering me. 

In the Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Just the Beginning” by Kurt Carr. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Essie Taylor is an author, educator, minister, youth advocate, recording artist, podcaster, and improviser. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Rockford College.

She is a veteran educator of Bilingual Education, English as a Second Language, and Spanish Language Acquisition with National Board Teacher Certification. She is an advocate of lifelong learning, language learning, and multiculturalism.

Essie is the CEO of KenMar Press, an author agency, and The Essie Faye Collection. Essie is the author of Finding the Love You Deserve: 30 Lessons in Self-Love & Acceptance, and Finding The Love Your Deserve: A 60-Day Healing Journal For Women of Faith.

She is deeply committed to motivating minorities, women, and youth to pursue God while chasing their dreams and carving out their life’s path. She loves God, people, and helping others.

Essie has been a Christian for nearly all of her 39 years. She was born again at 15 years old. She has been a bilingual worship leader and interpreter for 10+ years. By the grace of God, Essie helped to establish bilingual ministries at five churches in her young life. She is a survivor of domestic violence (verbal and emotional abuse) and marital abandonment in a prior marriage.

Essie is a Chicago native. She lives in Chicago with her husband Donald Taylor II.

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Connect with Essie:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_essie_faye/
Website: www.essiefayetaylor.com