Trusting God for the Next Chapter When the Last One Hurt

By Dee Davis | Divine Inspirations

Devotional:

Focus Scripture: Isaiah 43:18–19 (NLT)

“But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”

When Life Doesn’t Turn the Page Gently

There are chapters in life that close with joy, and others that shut with a painful thud. For many women over 50, this season can feel like standing in the hallway between a closed door and one yet to open. Maybe you’ve lost someone dear, watched a dream fade, or felt ministry opportunities slip away. Maybe your body feels different, your pace slower, or your influence diminished.

It’s in these tender, quiet places—where the last chapter hurt—that God speaks a fresh word of hope.

I Know What That Pain Feels Like

Let me share my heart with you.

There was a long season in my life when I felt helpless and hopeless—even while still uplifting and helping others. My life took a major hit that affected every area of my existence: my marriage, my sense of self-worth, my esteem, and even my ministry. The pain was so overwhelming that I truly believed I was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

My marriage was strained. My mother passed away. My physical health came under attack. All of it left me in what felt like a fog of despair.

I had to literally fight through bitterness, hurt, and deep loss to keep believing that God could still bring beauty out of ashes. I had to fight to believe in His power to give me strength—no matter what the journey ahead would look like. Honestly, I couldn’t even see past one second of the pain and disappointment I was experiencing.

And yet… God never left me.

He didn’t rush me.

He simply stayed with me.

And slowly, lovingly, He began writing a new chapter.

God Is Not Finished

Isaiah 43:18–19 reminds us that God is never confined by our past pain. In fact, He tells us to “forget all that,” not because our experiences didn’t matter, but because they do not limit what He can do next. God is not recycling old blessings—He’s doing something new. And not someday, not when everything is perfect again—but now.

“See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?”

What a question! It challenges us to lift our eyes from what was, to what is becoming. We may still feel the sting of yesterday, but God is already paving a path through today’s wilderness and preparing rivers of restoration in dry places. His plan is active, alive, and unfolding—even when we feel stalled.

Healing Requires Trusting Again

Trusting God for the next chapter doesn’t mean pretending the last one didn’t hurt. It means handing Him the pen again. It means believing He still writes beautiful things, even with pages stained by tears.

It also means releasing control. Sometimes we want to write the next part ourselves—carefully, cautiously—because we don’t want to be hurt again. But the Author of your story is not reckless with your heart. His intentions are redemptive. He sees the entire arc of your life, not just this pause.

You Are Still a Vessel of Promise

If you are breathing, you are still becoming. Your age, your losses, your transitions—none of these disqualify you. In fact, they may be the very soil from which something new and fruitful will grow. Don’t allow the ache of the past to steal the awe of what’s ahead.

You are not done. You are being rerouted.

And the God who walked with you through the valley of your last chapter will meet you at the entrance of your next one—with healing in His hands and hope in His heart.

Reflection Questions

1. What “former things” do you need to release to trust God for what’s next?

2. Where have you seen signs of God already doing something new—even if it's small?

3. What promise in Isaiah 43:18–19 encourages you most today?

Prayer

Lord, You know the chapters that have hurt and left me weary. Help me release what I can’t change, and trust You with what’s to come. Open my eyes to see the new thing You are already doing in my life. Give me faith to follow You into the unknown, knowing You are making a way even in the wilderness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Be Blessed.