Devotion for February 23, 2022 from Pastor Tim Huff of Holy Trinity:
Moving Forward With God
What does it mean to move forward with God when life is so full of changes? Sometimes we change jobs, move to new cities, or walk away from something as we reach for something different. Embracing change is not always easy. It is best when the change results from something positive in our lives. How do we let go of the past and move forward with God?
Moving forward can mean letting go of the comforts of what feels familiar and reaching toward something unknown. We let go of our plans when we experience loss or when things do not work out as we hoped. Sometimes we walk away without fully understanding what’s next. Moving forward with God means we are willing to remember that God loves us and has a plan.
Moving forward can be challenging. As we feel resistance from ourselves and others, our old ways, which are familiar to us, may seem more straightforward. At times we may question whether going back would be easier than change. We should not want to remain stuck in any area of our lives, and we cannot live life in reverse.
“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19
As we strive to move forward, there will be times when we believe change is impossible. During those times, we need to remember that God has a track record of giving new life even when it seems too late, just as God did with Sarah and Abraham.
Just as Sarah and Abraham fulfilled their destiny, we too are born with a calling and must strive to follow that call. We were created to walk with God, to have faith, speak God’s Word and get moving.
We will stumble at times. We will make mistakes and suffer losses and failures. It is helpful to remember that Jesus came to give us all a second chance. Truthfully, we may need many “second chances,” but we must keep moving forward by acknowledging any errors, repenting, and asking God to help give us strength and direction. Our Creator specializes in healing us and making us whole.
Holding on to the past can sabotage the future that God has for us. When God calls us to move forward or asks us to make some changes, fear will cause us to stay where we are and not move forward with God. Sometimes we fear what people think, or perhaps we fear whether we heard God correctly.
So, if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 2 Corinthians 5:17
God is with us when it feels like we are starting over, moving on, or making necessary changes. When life feels like it is crushing us or we don’t know which way to go, we need to pray with faith, expecting God to hear us and shine a light on the path before us. We cannot let fear win.
May God’s Love and Grace continue to move us forward!
Pastor Tim