Verses like Hebrews 12:1, 2 and Romans 12: 1, 2 are a kind of starting over to serve and give ourselves anew to be the Lord’s.  We confess our sins and start over.  We remember our Father loves us and desires to bless His children, and we go into the future starting over refreshed, renewed.  God has called us to a life of change to be more conformed to the image of Christ.  We fail, and by God’s grace we get up and look to Him for grace to start again. 

A new year, a new week, a life changing event; these can all be times in our lives to start over, whether it be a diet and exercise program or new job or business venture.  Holidays, Mondays, a birthday or anniversary, these can be new start times for trying again to accomplish something we’ve failed to do in the past or  attempt something new.  It doesn’t even have to be a special day; we can start over any time, but often there are forces at work discouraging us from doing so.

We all like stories of people who were down and out and came back, but we often exclude ourselves from hope for such, because we see ourselves as having failed  in the past.  We become discouraged and frustrated, and this is magnified if we have negative people around us.  We allow ourselves to listen to these cynics making fun of others who make resolutions or set goals.  They may be quick to point out how we have been inconsistent or failed in the past to achieve some positive change or goal.

This kind of thinking forgets three truths that we need to remember: (1) We are broken people living in a broken world; times of failure are normal.  But this doesn’t mean we stop trying or give up on positive change.  (2) Such negative thinking is proven wrong all the time, because people overcome obstacles, succeed at times even after repeated failure; I have a number of books that are filled with stories of people who have done just that in areas of health, wealth, careers, etc. (3)  Starting over and working for positive change in our lives and God’s world is God’s will; we must not forget this.

Before I give some examples of this last point, please realize that starting over cannot be used to justify sin.  For instance, you must not pursue an unbiblical divorce or incur irresponsible debt with the attitude that it is okay because you will start over after your new marriage, or you have declared bankruptcy.  No, the unbiblical divorce or irresponsible debt must not be entered into in the first place.  We are not to sin that grace may abound.

Now for some examples from the Bible of individuals who lived their lives starting over.  Consider Abraham and Moses.  Abraham left Ur of the Chaldeans to start over in Canaan and then to start over in Egypt and back again in Canaan.  He entered into business with Lot and started over when they went their separate ways.  While it is true that Abraham’s starting over builds on previous successes or experiences, good and bad, the fact is, his life was one of change and starting over.

Moses is a great example of starting over.  He left Pharoah’s palace to start over with God’s people.  He murdered a man, and as a fugitive started over in a new land and a new occupation as a shepherd.  God sent him back to Egypt to start over in being the one who would lead His people, and for the next forty years, more than a few times, Moses found himself starting over with God’s people in all the trials they experienced in the wilderness.

Take some time to meditate on the lives of Job, David, Ruth, Paul, Peter and many others.  Their lives are characterized by change and starting over, sometimes often.

In the calendar God gave to Israel was the constant reminder that they were His people, and in the repetition of weeks and worship and harvest there was a starting over, whether it was sowing seed or renewing their relationship with Him.  In Israel’s history, God brought reformation under Josiah, Hezekiah, Nehemiah and others, and these were all times of starting over for them as a nation.

Consider the doctrine of sanctification.  It isn’t about beginning all over again, but there is always a rededicating of ourselves to the Lord; a type of starting over to serve Him when we leave the Lord’s Table or worship service or time of prayer.  Verses like Hebrews 12:1, 2 and Romans 12: 1, 2 are a kind of starting over to serve and give ourselves anew to be the Lord’s.  We confess our sins and start over.  We remember our Father loves us and desires to bless His children, and we go into the future starting over refreshed, renewed.  God has called us to a life of change to be more conformed to the image of Christ.  We fail, and by God’s grace we get up and look to Him for grace to start again.

So, whether it is some special discipline in the Christian life you are working on, or some besetting sin, or your desire to lose weight, or begin an exercise program, or start a new job, or go back to school, or spend more meaningful time with your children; it’s good to have positive legitimate goals, and you should not be discouraged because you have failed at times in the past.  Ignore the doom and gloom losers in your life who tell you it is a waste of time.  God’s mercies are new every morning; we get to live in His mercy and grace.  Live life in the knowledge that God loves you in Christ and is with you in your starting over times.  Yes, you will still fail, but you will succeed at times as well, and make progress.  It’s not only okay—it’s God’s will to start over.

K. W. Pete Hurst is a businessman and part-time associate pastor at Calvary Reformed, PCA, Hampton, VA.  He blogs at God’s Fool, where this article first appeared.