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He's The God Of New Beginnings
Our God is the God of new beginnings! The Bible says: “Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (James 5:20) It is never too late for a new beginning. And what’s even more remarkable is that God uses people like us to help others find a new beginning.
The Bible contains many accounts of men and women who got a second chance and, by God’s grace, used it well. Like Peter, who denied Jesus but went on to become a leader in the New Testament church. Or David, who committed adultery and murder, yet his psalms are a major part of one of the most quoted books in the Bible. And what about Jonah? He got a do-over! “The word of the Lord came to Jonah the second time” (Jonah 3:1). Sin can wreck hearts, homes, plans, and people. But the good news of the gospel is that sin can never keep God from loving or reaching for us. And we should never stop loving and reaching for others. “If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness” (Galatians 6:1). The Greek word for restore is a medical term that means “to set a broken bone.” When a doctor resets a broken bone, he realigns it and then puts it in a cast for about 6 weeks. During that time, God does the actual healing. Your job is to find broken people who need a second chance and help to restore them.
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Know Who You Are
Who are you? It seems like a simple question but is often one of the most challenging to answer. To know who you are and what you stand for, to be aware of how you’re perceived by others and how you present yourself to the world, is one of the most important aspects of a well-lived life. This could be called your “personal brand.”
Your brand consists of attributes that are present for every encounter you have with work colleagues, family, or friends. You could call them “deliverables,” virtues you bring to all your social and business interactions. You may take your deliverables for granted but consider writing down your own personal mission statement. What is your purpose? What are you about? What is your vision? Does your life truly reflect what’s important to you and how you want others to see you? So often, we live our lives based on what those around us think we should be or do. We follow the path we’ve seen others take, or we pursue what the media defines as success. Eventually, and sometimes surprisingly, we may find ourselves frustrated, angry, and disappointed in life. Have you ever heard business professionals lament about climbing to the top of the corporate ladder, only to find that it was leaning against the wrong building? They were so busy keeping up with what they thought they were supposed to be doing that they never stopped to ask themselves what they actually wanted to do. Be like Paul: Know who you are, honour your personal brand, and say, “By the grace of God, I am what I am.” (1 Corinthians 15:10)
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"Overnight Success" Usually Takes Many Years
Country-music star Randy Travis and his manager, Lib, remember the lean days of his career—all 3,650 of them. For 10 years, Lib did whatever it took to keep her club open long enough for somebody to discover Travis’s talent. For his part, Randy sang his heart out. And when he wasn’t singing, he was frying catfish and washing dishes in the kitchen.
Then it happened. His break came, and everything seemed to click for him. He had a hit called “On the Other Hand,” an album contract, a tour offer, and a movie deal. He was hot! Suddenly, everyone seemed to be calling him an overnight success. But Randy recalls it differently: “We were turned down more than once by every record label in Nashville. But I’m the kind of one to believe that if you work at something long enough, and keep believing, sooner or later it will happen.” Randy Travis went on to become an American music legend, winning 3 Grammies & 7 Dove Awards and being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. But it didn’t come easily or happen overnight. It happened because he worked hard, remained faithful through the tough times, and trusted God to come through for him. Jesus said: “Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11:24) And here’s something you need to keep in mind: It will happen in God’s time, and on His schedule. Your part is to keep walking by faith & trusting Him to bring it to pass.
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The Worst Failure Is The Failure To Try
It’s impossible to live successfully without taking risks. Leo Buscaglia wrote: “To laugh is to risk appearing the fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out to another is to risk involvement. To place your ideas, your dreams, before the crowd is to risk being called naïve. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To live is to risk dying. To hope is to risk despair, and to try is to risk failure. But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. Only the person who risks is truly free.”
Franklin Roosevelt spent much of his life battling illness and was confined to a wheelchair. Yet he became one of America’s greatest presidents. He said: “It is common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” In The Pursuit of Excellence, Ted W. Engstrom gives this advice about the importance of trying: “Starting today, you can begin to enjoy using and developing your gifts. If you’ve always wanted to write, then write something, a short article, a poem, an account of your vacation. Write it as if you were going to be published; then submit it somewhere. If you’re a photographer, gather your best pictures together and submit them as entries in a contest. If you think you’re a fair tennis player or golfer, enter some tournaments and see how you do. You may not win the top prize but think how much you’ll learn and experience just by trying. The worst failure…is failure to try!”
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