Green Shoots

My husband and I love to hike in the woods. With the fresh air, tall trees, wildflowers, and singing birds, a day spent in nature never fails to lift our spirits. So it was unsettling to set out on a hike and find the bleak remains of a forest fire instead. Blackened sticks and stumps littered the ground, and the faint smell of smoke lingered in the air.

As I looked closer, however, I noticed something else. Tiny green shoots poked up through the dirt; a few mountain laurels bloomed on blackened branches. New growth was emerging from the ashes, but I had to look for it.

Focusing on the green shoots in life does not come naturally to me. I tend to ruminate on the past, replaying awkward conversations, missed opportunities, and questionable life choices in an endless loop. But God does not want us to be consumed by “what ifs” and regrets. In this passage from Isaiah, God encourages us to forget the former things that may prevent us from seeing the good that lies ahead.

If we look for the green shoots we will find the hope and strength to keep moving forward, confident that God is laying a path toward a positive future.