I was led to explore the Book of Isaiah, chapter 43 verses 18–19, recently. The words resonated on my heart as I pondered on the depth and its meaning. “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.”
Clearly, the reality struck me and I choose to share this with my readership today. We take hits in life, we go through challenges, we face trials and tribulations, in some instances, and we face blank walls and attacks in some cases. There are the curve balls that life throws at you. Failures come your way and although you may be confident and assumingly secured in your position or portfolio, you get blind-sided and out of nowhere, you’re rammed from the side. As they say in road traffic accidents, you’re T-boned.
Trying to pick up the pieces can be painful, costly and very emotional. If you do not stabilise quickly, you can tailspin into depression and severe stress. When you are the butt of attacks and accusations, the central talking point of mischief, gossip and the target of witch hunters and the topic of conspiracy, you can be left alone to fend for yourself, to shield and to defend and it gets very, very lonely.
But you must have a plan. You must be able to find your inner strength and you must be able to weather the storm.
I’ve been there. I understand the agony of defeat, or let me re-phrase that, the agony of man-made defeat. However, I was able to conquer and claim victory, by Godly standards, Godly attributes and putting My God first.
You can get the urge and persuasion to come out swinging punches, but my connection with my Lord, has shown me the moves of strategy and patience. I learnt one major principle, “The Battle Belongs to My God!” Meaning that you are not required to fight every fight. You are not required to take on everybody. You are not required to be influenced to answer everybody. In such cases, your silence will deafen your enemies. Sun Tzu tells you in the Art of War, “Silence is an Act of Warfare!”
I was having a meaningful conversation with some Defence Force veterans this week, and they understood the power of that statement. I reflected the words of a trusted elder who once shared with me, “Some things you do not dignify with a response!” Meaning that by you answering, you don’t realise that you make foolish people, and foolish statements assume importance. Sometimes it’s good to remain silent and leave the foolishness at their feet.
When your enemy can’t hear you, they can’t strike you. When your enemy can’t hear you, you can strike them!
So reading Isaiah opened my mind from a spiritual bearing. The word allowed me to reflect on the promises of God. So today, you may be facing an uphill battle. You may be facing a broken marriage. You may be facing dwindling finances, a career decision. A dismissal, a choice that may determine your future. You may be in a state of bewilderment and uncertainty.
You may be seeking direction, and a charting of your destiny. You may not know where to turn, or what comes next, what tomorrow brings. It is at this time that you listen, not only read, but hear the promises of God in these words.
He is saying loud and clear to you today, do not let the past dictate your future, put it behind you, dismiss it, leave it behind. I am going to do something new in your life. The past is the past. He goes on to remind you that you may not understand it right now. You may not know why this person is in your life right now. You may not know why you are in this situation right now…but trust Him. Where you think that there is no way, that there is a wilderness before you, He is making a way. Trust Him. Where you believe that water can’t flow, where there can’t be blessings, He is going to make water flow. He is going to make blessings come your way. All you have to do is trust Him.
You have taken a severe hit. But it isn’t over, you fell flat. But you will rise back up again. You have been wounded, physically and emotionally, but those scars will heal and you will rise back up.
But you must place your trust in The Lord. He is a second chances God. And always remember in your healing process, sometimes these things don’t happen to you, it happens for you. You’re going to all right. Trust Him.