See, I Am Doing A New Thing!

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 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.” — Isaiah 43:18–19 (NIV)

Change is inevitable.

Sometimes, God’s new beginnings don’t feel like fresh starts at first. They feel like fire. Like loss. Like waiting, stretching, and breaking. But often, the hardest seasons are where His most beautiful work begins.

On May 10th Isaiah 43 was a promise (a God Nod if you will) for me. I was working on a post of our first Monarch caterpillar going into chrysalis at Chateau Mariposa. God led me straight to this verse. He spoke not just comfort, but hope wrapped in transformation. He’s doing a new thing, but to receive the new, we often have to walk through something uncomfortable, even painful.

May 2nd – First Butterfly Garden

Before a butterfly takes flight, it must first endure the dark stillness of the chrysalis. Inside that cocoon, the caterpillar breaks down into something unrecognizable — a messy, unformed mass. But in that sacred in-between, transformation is happening. Without that hard, hidden season, there is no flight.

Maybe you feel like you’re stuck in your own “cocoon” — uncertain, unseen, and broken down. But God is not done with you. He’s not punishing you — He’s preparing you. See, I am doing a new thing, and it might look like waiting before it looks like wings.

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June – Trips to Nicaragua

A lump of clay, freshly shaped on the potter’s wheel, may look like a finished piece — but it’s not usable until it’s been through the fire. The kiln hardens and strengthens it. Without heat, the vessel would crumble under pressure.

When you’re in a “trial by fire,” it’s tempting to believe God has abandoned you. But what if He’s actually strengthening you for the purpose He has ahead? The fire doesn’t destroy the clay — it finishes it. God is making a way for us to step into something new.

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God Is An All-Consuming Fire

Precious metals aren’t born shining — they’re extracted and refined through intense heat. Fire separates the impurities, leaving behind something pure and valuable.

In the same way, difficult seasons often strip away what’s not meant to stay — old mindsets, unhealthy attachments, misplaced identities. The process hurts, but it also heals. God is not wasting your pain; He’s using it to bring out your true worth.

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Trust the New Thing

Isaiah 43 doesn’t tell us to forget the past because it wasn’t important. It tells us to not dwell there — to stop assuming that God can only work like He did before. The “way in the wilderness” isn’t just a poetic metaphor; it’s a promise that even in desolate, dry places, God is active. The wasteland will bloom again.

Whatever hard thing you’re facing today — heartbreak, loss, change, or uncertainty — know this: God is with you, and for you. He uses all things for the good of those who love Him.

Challenge of the Week

God is not finished with your story. He’s beginning something new. Can you see it? Do you not perceive it? Pray this prayer on your journey: God, when the fire feels too hot or the waiting feels too long, remind me that You are still at work. Help me to trust You, even when I don’t understand. Give me eyes to see the new thing You are doing. Amen

Have you walked through a season where something hard turned into something beautiful? Share your story in the comments—we’d love to hear it.

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