Doing A New Thing through Faith.

“But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” — Isaiah 43:18-19.

If you find yourself doing the same thing month after month, year after year, yet nothing happens and you never come any closer to getting done what you want to be done, you may need to change what you are doing. Albert Einstein is widely credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” While I would not use the word insanity, it is a common trap that most of us fall into during our lives. Human beings are creatures of routine. It is difficult to break out of our routines and habits and try different approaches to the problems in our life.

But here is the bottom line: If you want something different, you have to do something different today to create a different life tomorrow. There’s no other way to get there. And that is true of our spiritual life as well.

In Isaiah 43, God spoke about doing something new. The ESV says, “Behold, I am doing a new thing.” God was calling His people out from the old and into the new. A powerful example of God doing a new thing was seen in the ministry of Jesus Christ. The Pharisees were dedicated to keeping the Law and had developed a complex system of rules they thought helped them do this. But Jesus consistently violated their rules. The Pharisees were convinced that Jesus was breaking the law, but He repeatedly told them, “Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.” (Matthew 5:17).

Are you expecting God to do a new thing in your life? That may seem overwhelming when you consider your present circumstances. So much is on the horizon, so much lies ahead. Don’t be discouraged by bumps in the road or detours on the path. Continue to trust, put your faith in God and work on putting new things into every season of life.

God can use change to perfect you. Change, when responded to correctly, can build your character and your faith. Romans 5:3-4 says, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.”

Discussion Questions:

Is it difficult for you to try new things? Why?
How could God start something new in you this week if you let go?