How do you view starting over? Do you see it as a failure or as a result of failure or as a new beginning? Is it something positive or negative in your mind? Well, this is a season in which I believe many of us might find ourselves starting over or we might know someone who is. This is the subject of today’s episode as we ponder what it means, what good can be found in it, and what God has to say about starting over.
I have some extremely wise friends. One I met for dinner last week and she said something profound recounting a story from her workday. The words she said to someone keep repeating in my head still today.
“May we never stop starting over.”
At first the sentence didn’t sit well with me. I fought with it for a few minutes in my brain. Because sometimes, I guess, I have a negative connotation of starting over. It’s what I did after I failed at something or what I do when something doesn’t go as planned. It reminded me of what I had to do after my mom and dad passed away. I mean, come on, how do you start life over after someone so instrumental in your life is now gone? It’s what we face after a divorce, a job loss, an illness, or whatever has laid us flat. It’s in those instances where starting over seems way too daunting. Am I right?
The more my friend shared, the more I began to see starting over in a different light.
I realized then starting over is actually an unexpected gift! What about the person who struggles with an addiction and falls off the wagon or gives in to the temptation of the addiction? What if he or she didn’t have the option to or chose not to start over? Would he or she just be stuck in that addiction? We wouldn’t be the people we are today if we never started over.
I thought about the numerous times I’ve started over in my life, with God, and how we get to start over each day. I also share a few scriptures that have to do with starting over.
Click on the player above to listen to the full 12-minute episode.
God is always with us, even when it’s time to start over.
And that right there gives us hope and encouragement.
Links in this episode:
- Acts 3:19-20 MSG
- Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT
- Psalm 30:5 NIV
- Encouragement for Real Life Community
- Access my Free Resources on my site to encourage your heart
Another awesome episode!