Isaiah 43:18-19… Do not dwell in the past (Part 1)

We all carry some form of regret—moments we wish we could rewrite, choices that still echo, memories that quietly linger. The real question is not whether we have regrets, but how we respond to them. Do we remain stuck replaying the past, or do we allow God to lead us forward?

God speaks directly to this in Isaiah 43:18-19 when He says,  “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. Behold, I am doing a new thing!; now it's spring forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert”

This is not a command to erase the memory, nor is it a denial of what we have been through. It is an invitation to release the power the past holds over us. God is not asking us to pretend the past never happened—He is asking us not to live there.

Everyone carries a story. We all have a past, especially from before we knew God. Yet the beauty of God’s grace is this: He does not fix His eyes on the pages you regret. He focuses on the pages He is writing now—pages written through redemption, mercy, and restoration.

Where you see broken pieces, He sees a vessel being made whole. Where you see failure, He sees growth. Where you see a past, He sees a future.

The past may explain where we’ve been, but it was never meant to decide where we’re going. God does not review your history to determine your destiny. He restores. He renews. He redeems.

Isaiah 43:1–2 declares this truth:

*“But now, this is what the Lord says— He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”

Isaiah 43:1–2 reminds us that our past does not define us—God does. He calls us by name, not by our mistakes, and declares that we belong to Him. Though we will pass through rivers that move fast just like our situations that feel out of control, it will not overtake you. The current might feel strong but it will not define you. We might go through fire such as pain, testing, purification or suffering. However, that fire might feel hot but it will not consume you. He does not always remove the fire, but He walks with His people through it. 

The trials are real, but they are not final. God redeems. God restores. God renews. And He continues to lead us forward into the future He has prepared.

God does not dwell in what was—He dwells in what He is doing now.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t have to feel strong. You only have to be willing to loosen your grip on what was and trust God who stands with you today. The same God who calls you by name, who walks with you through fire and water, is the One inviting you forward.

So, pause for a moment and ask yourself: What am I still holding onto that God has already asked me to release? The past may still speak—but it no longer has the final word. God does. And He is doing a new thing, even now. Do you not perceive it?