Preparing Our Hearts for Annual Session: 30 Days of Prayer and Devotion - Day 9

Day 9 A New Thing 

Rev. Sung An 

Pastor, Van Riper Ellis Broadway Baptist Church

ABCNJ Council Member

Scripture:  Isaiah 43:18–19 — "I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?"

Reflection: 
Isaiah 43:18–19 reminds us not to remain trapped in the past because God is doing something new. Galatians 6:2–5 teaches that Christian community helps people move forward by carrying their overwhelming burdens and by encouraging them to take responsibility for their own lives.

“See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” —Isaiah

43:19. Sometimes yesterday’s pain becomes today’s burden. Failure, grief, disappointment, or regret can feel like a heavy boulder we cannot carry alone. Yet God tells us, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.” This does not mean pretending our pain never happened. It means refusing to let the past control our future.

God often does His new work through His people. Galatians 6:2 says, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” When someone is overwhelmed, we walk alongside them with prayer, compassion, and practical support.

However, bearing someone’s burden does not mean shouldering every responsibility for them. God may use today’s responsibilities—our “backpacks”—to strengthen our faith and shape our character.

Perhaps you feel trapped in a wilderness today. Bring your burden to Jesus and let others support you. Then take the next faithful step. God is making a way through the wilderness, and He may use His church to help you see it.

Prayer: God of new beginnings, help us release what belongs to the past and recognize the new thing You are doing among us. Grant us grace to carry one another’s burdens without losing sight of our own responsibilities. When the path ahead seems uncertain, strengthen our faith to trust in Your presence and take the next faithful step. Amen.

Practice: Consider one area of your life or ministry where you may be clinging to the past. Bring it before God in prayer and identify one step that moves you forward. Invite a trusted person to pray with you as you take that step.