Spring Forward in Faith

I recently moved to an area that has seasons and it’s a whole new experience for me. I've been mesmerized by the changing leaves, watching them as they shift from green to fiery reds and oranges, and just recently the trees that spent the whole winter with bare branches have sprouted small, white flowers. It’s truly beautiful to watch winter melt into spring. I go outside and feel the sun bring new warmth. It's familiar but new all at once.

Isaiah 43:19 NIV says, "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."

Sometimes in order to come into a new season and spring forward in faith, we have to let go of the old seasonIsaiah 43:18 NIV says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past." One of the many lessons life teaches us is to let go. We can't hang on to past hurts, past struggles, and past relationships. And, sometimes this means we have to give ourselves time to grieve in order to move forward. We may have to let ourselves feel the loss, be sad for a little while, and talk to someone who cares. After we've grieved, we can pick ourselves up and start looking ahead once again.

As spring starts to surface and the trees begin to bloom, we can see God’s reminder to align our hearts to the new thing He’s doing. Let us go to prayer, asking Jesus to help us embrace all the “new” he has in store for us:

Dear Lord, Thank you for developing me into the person You want me to be. I have to admit, Jesus, that sometimes I find it hard to let go of old things even when I know they are holding me back. Help me, Lord, to truly see this spring season for what it is: a lovely reminder of how beautiful change can truly be. As flowers begin to adorn the trees once again and fresh grass rises up from the ground, renew in me the strength to let go of the past and move forward in my faith journey with You. Amen

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