I think it’s fair to say that everyone has been through something rough in this past year, yet we are still here. Needless to say, a lot of us may have been glad to see this new year in hopes of new beginnings. Well God is an expert in new beginnings and starting over. Consider the verse in Isaiah 43:18-19.
There, God is telling the Israelites that in spite of their past mistakes, He will still have mercy on them and do something new in their lives.
In the same way, He promises us a new beginning. God gives us the free will to choose.. He says in His word that He set before us life and death, choose life..(Deuteronomy 30:19).
Just like a GPS recalculates when we divert from the direction given to us, let’s recalculate. Let’s allow the wisdom of God to guide us. Even if you took a wrong turn somewhere along the way and now find yourself on a detour, keep going.
The GPS doesn’t shut off and leave us stranded, instead it thinks of a new direction, a new route, it recalculates until it helps us find a way.. In the same way, John 14:6 tells us that Jesus is the Way, the truth and the life. Therefore, let’s find our way through Jesus.
How you may ask? Well consider this verse in 2 Chronicles 7:14:
If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
Ephesians 4: 22-24 says “Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by its deceitful desires. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God, truly righteous and holy.”
The bible also says in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that if we are in Christ, then we are a new creation in Him and He is making us new.
If we trust God, then we must take Him at His Word. God doesn’t want us to stay stuck in our old ways, discouraged and lost. He wants us to leave our old ways behind and embrace the new.
However, this is only possible when we yield to God’s commands and make room for Him to work in us.
Now I am not saying that this is an easy process. We still have an unseen enemy that works tirelessly day and night to try and turn us back to our old ways. But this is why Jesus told us in John 16:33 to take heart because although in this life there will be trials and tribulations, He has overcome the world.
James 4:7 also tells us to submit ourselves to God, resist the devil and he will flee from us. How can we resist him? By making a daily choice to make God our first priority.
We must make a conscious effort to change our thoughts, our attitudes, behaviors, our actions and our words for the better. When we do this, then our minds begin to be renewed and we begin to be transformed. Then we begin to birth a new nature, but we must choose to live by it.
I want to encourage someone. Don’t let this year pass you by without giving it your best effort to take hold of the promises of God for your life. These are times for new beginnings and God is on our side.
It’s time to reevaluate our lives and our choices and take charge of our destiny. Let’s make room for God in our lives.
Wherever you are, whatever you may have done, let’s choose to reset. Recalculate and choose life because it’s never too late to begin again.
Be encouraged!
2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
