A New Beginning
Do you ever feel like you are a failure and you would like to start over? You can’t, but you can begin now and make a wonderful new conclusion.
This journey to “becoming” begins with the first step. You don’t have to see the whole road to start, just take the first step, and that is putting your uncompromising faith in Jesus. You may be one of two people. One is a person who did trust Jesus as Savior, but you failed to grow spiritually and got on the wrong road. Repentance for you is not unto salvation, but to faithfulness.
Billy Sunday, former baseball player and later evangelist said, “Stopping at third adds no more to the score than striking out. It doesn’t matter how well you start if you fail to finish.” Start now and finish well.
Perhaps the other you is an individual who never put your faith in Jesus, but now you know the potential He offers through salvation and living faith. The Greek word for repentance, “metanoeo,” means a change of mind, thought, or thinking so powerful that it changes one’s very way of life. In summary it means to turn. Make this the turning point in your life by asking Him to forgive your past and give you new life. The operative word is “new.”
Don’t say to yourself, “I have failed,” “I am broken,” “I have issues of trust.” Shout within, “I am a new creature in Christ,” “I am being renewed,” “I am being transformed.” Develop that new you in your thoughts. That was me, this IS me.
Every sunrise is God’s way of saying this is a new day, make it a great day. You can use them one by one to develop your wonderful conclusion. Every new day is your way to build your life like you wish it had always been.
Keep in mind there is absolutely nothing that can keep you from living by your standard for the new you. Regardless of where you are on the development scale you can be and do better. Forget about past negatives, ponder the new possibilities. Create your new image and flood your mind with what can be.
There is a story of a great flood that drove people to desperate measures. Two persons awaiting a rescue sat on a rooftop and watched as an old hat floated by. To their amazement it reached a certain point where it turned and went back up stream. To their puzzlement this happened several times. Finally, one said, “I know what that is, grandad said he was going to mow the lawn today come hell or high water.” That is the kind of determination needed in becoming all you can be. Grandad had it and so can you.
Here is the empowering enablement: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (II Corinthians 5:17)
Your heritage or legacy doesn’t matter. It isn’t important that you be remembered. It’s important that when you stand before the Lord, he says, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Aspire to finish strong.
Make your new motto for life: “Semper Crescis,” “Always improving/growing.”