January 23, 2026
Daily Devotional:
“A New Path in the Wilderness”
Isaiah 43:19
"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."
We often spend a lot of time looking backward. We look at past mistakes with regret, or past "glory days" with a sense of loss, feeling that our best moments are behind us. From Isaiah 43 in perceiving the new thing, God speaks to a people in exile; people who felt stuck, forgotten, and surrounded by a "wasteland." But God interrupts their grief with a startling command. "See!" He isn't just promising a future change, He is stating that the work has already begun. Like a seed germinating under the soil, His grace "springs up" before it is even visible to the naked eye. The challenge isn't whether God is working, but whether we have the spiritual eyes to perceive it.
God highlights specific miracles in this verse. When you feel lost or directionless, God is the ultimate trailblazer. He doesn't just find a path, He makes one where none existed. The promise of provision in the way amidst the wilderness. In the dry, "burnt-out" seasons of life, God providesinternal refreshment. He brings life-sustaining water to the places you thought were permanently barren. A stream of water from a supposedly barren, wasteland.
This is the ultimate "big picture" promise. It serves as a reminder that God’s nature is inherently creative and restorative. If He is committed to making wonders, He is certainly committed to the work He is doing in your personal life.
Identify one "wilderness" area in your life, it could be a difficult relationship, a career hurdle, or a personal struggle. Write "Isaiah 43:19" on a note and place it where you can see it, intentionally asking God to help you "perceive" His movement in that specific area today.
