If I Could Start Again

Sometimes, I look at the woman in the mirror and I try to imagine what I would do differently if I could start again. What if I could turn back time, have the perspective I have now, and make wiser choices. What if I could get it right more often, follow the rules more clearly, and understand things better? That’s a big thought! Then right behind it comes one more thought…don’t look back. Remember what happened to Lot’s wife, she got stopped in her tracks and couldn’t go any further. She got stuck forever. 

The good news is you don’t even have to remind God to forgive you again for the things you did so foolishly, because once you have offered Him your heartfelt sorrow, He cleans the slate. He removes your wretchedness as far as the east is from the west. He wants only one thing. Don’t do that again and move forward. Trust Him more fully.

You can start over, you can fail, and you can start over again. The better you learn the lessons from your failures, the better your future will be. God will help you. In fact, He will lead you to the places you need to go, the ones He designed for you in the first place. You don’t have to resist His help or wait till later to get in line with Him, you can do it now. You can start over this very minute. 

There is a catch! You do have to do more than ask for forgiveness. You have to ask for forgiveness with your whole heart. You have to mean what you say. You have to seek God’s ways for your life like you’ve never done before. He doesn’t want the old you! He wants the new you! He wants the you that asks for His help, that surrenders your ego and your plans. He wants the you that won’t look back. The Creator, the One who designed you with a particular purpose in mind, is standing there with you at the mirror. He sees you and He knows you regret the foolish things you did in years past. All He wants is for you to reach out to Him, trust Him with your life from here, and know that He wants only your good. He wants you to thrive and live fully and happily. He wants you to leave regret behind. Don’t turn around! 

Jesus walks before you, beside you and with you always. Seek Him. Know Him. Give Him a chance to help you become all you were meant to become. 

After all, He makes things new every morning!  Even you!