"The Beauty of Starting Over"

The Beauty of Starting Over

We all have a past. We all have things we look back on and regret or wish we could change. But our past does not define us.
One of the beautiful things about God is that He is a God of new beginnings. Regardless of
where we are in life, we don’t have to wait for the perfect time to start over. We can start over at any point.
Isaiah 43:18–19 says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing.”
It is easy to focus on our past and spend so much time looking backward that we miss what God is doing right in front of us. We replay the things we wish we had done differently and wonder how life might have turned out if we had made different choices. But we cannot change our past.
We can learn from it and allow God to use those experiences to help us grow.
Regardless of our past, we can be thankful for the lessons we have learned along the way. Even the difficult seasons can shape us, strengthen us, and help us become the person we are today.
God can use what is behind us to prepare us for what is ahead.
Starting over may mean forgiving yourself, changing your priorities, walking away from
something unhealthy, pursuing a dream you gave up on, or rebuilding your relationship with
God. Starting over does not mean that you failed. Sometimes, starting over is simply having the courage to believe that God is not finished with your story.
Lamentations 3:22–23 reminds us that God’s mercies are new every morning. I love that because it reminds us that God doesn’t run out of grace. Yesterday may not have gone the way we wanted it to but today is another opportunity.
Reflection
Is there something in your life that God may be calling you to start over?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for being a God of new beginnings. Help me to stop allowing my past to define me. Give me the wisdom to learn from my past and the courage to trust You with what is ahead. Help me to start over when I need to and faithfully follow Your direction for my life. Thank You that Your mercy is new every morning.
In Your precious name, Amen.