Day 1947 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Isaiah 43:18 NIV

Okay, so I straight up don't understand something I've noticed in our world. Here lately there's been all kinds of stuff going on. I'm guessing you're aware of that part. But one of the main things that I've been hearing is that people are wanting to move forward to making our cities and neighborhoods better. Now that I get. But the part that I don't understand is that they also keep bringing up the past.

So they want to move on to something better, but they keep rehashing past mistakes. I just can't wrap my mind around that. It's hard to move forward when you're completely stuck in the past. It's impossible to heal if you keep reopening the wounds. You see what I'm saying? It just isn't logical. Now I am well aware that our world is not very big on logic these days. But surely I'm not the only one that's seeing the hurdle here.

I'm all for new. I'm always down with change. I love the idea of making this world a much better place. I want everyone to feel loved, safe, and appreciated. We can all agree that there are changes that need to be made in many, many ways. Let's face it, what we're doing ain't working. We're running as fast as our legs will take us in the wrong direction. But we can't see that we're only making things worse by continuing to relive the past.

We want new, but we won't let go of the old. As the very next verse tells us, "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." New is possible. Change is possible. Healing is possible. God will make a way through this wasteland that we're trying to find our way through. But He can only help us when we drop all the baggage we're carrying and let Him take over and lead the way.

There have been all kinds of truly messed up things happen in the past. Wars, famines, genocides, pandemics, you name it. Then you add all of the mistakes that we've all made ourselves. The past is full of horrible stories. Why keep reliving them? Why hold on to them and allow them you keep you angry or ashamed? Why not do as God's asking us to do in this verse and let them go?

Again, healing is possible for us and for our world. God's ready, willing, and able to show us the way to the brighter future that we're all wanting to see. But why carry the messed up things from the past into this lovely future that He can lead us to? Wouldn't we be able to enjoy the healing far more if we let go of the things that caused the hurt to begin with? It's like this anchor that will only keep us stuck in place until we cut the rope and set sail.

We gotta let things go. We have to understand that we have really been forgiven for every mistake that we've made. And we need to gracefully extend that same kind of love and understanding, that same forgiveness to others. If we don't, we won't ever fix a thing. We'll only repeat the past mistakes out of anger and frustration. Cut it loose. Let it go. And let God lead us to the better days we're all praying for.