Beginning again; now something I love. Beginning again, with God's grace from above. As we have embarked upon this New year, we all
want to do better than we did last year.
So, we’ve made resolutions, promises, and set new goals. Problem -
we become overwhelmed with so many other 'things' and then allow our new
initiatives to fall by the wayside. But like a beautiful baby butterfly, let’s take flight! And when we must land for
whatever reason, let’s do it with grace... then get back up again.
We
shouldn’t be so hard on ourselves if we falter or fail. Remember this - God
gives us chances over and over again.
They are new beginnings - to right wrongs, to say I’m sorry, to say I
love you, to help somebody else, even something we take for granted like waking
up and seeing a new day. But how many of us really set out to start over, to
refresh, and to renew the old? Do we just stop trying and leave well enough
alone?
I’ve
heard a lot of people say ‘At the beginning, I was or we were ...’ But
what happened to now? What progress was made? What happened to now? Did
you actually see accomplishments? Do you know what mistakes were made along the
way? What happened to now? Did you learn from your mistakes? Now, what?
Stagnation?
Starting
over doesn’t mean that you have to extinguish the past, because you can’t. Just
CHOOSE to start fresh. You cannot do anything about that past because there
will always be someone who will show up and say ‘I remember.’ But you can move
forward by not becoming complacent, feeling unresolved or wallowing
in self-pity. I am so guilty of these things sometimes.
But I
have resolved to first of all, express my innermost feelings in some form or
fashion. Whether in words or in actions, I will consciously choose to keep away
negativity.
I
have resolved to not be unproductive, discouraged or disheartened, for those
are only the enemy’s thoroughfares to stagnation.
I
have begun to utilize talents I have kept buried deep inside because of fear of
not being accepted or ridiculed.
I
have begun to go back (yes, I have to go back sometimes) to reevaluate and
revitalize old ideas that I thought were not good enough, but found them to
be a blessing to somebody else.
And I
have begun to cultivate and bring to fruition gifts from seeds that were
planted in me by someone who NEVER has to begin again. “He doesn’t make
mistakes!” Genesis 1:1KJV - In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth… Genesis 1:31KJV - God saw all
that He had made, and it was very good… No, He has no need to begin again or start
over because all that He does is good and perfect.
Although
we fear making mistakes and failing, the tiniest step can be a new beginning. God has given us grace and mercy to reconsider
our choices, and to change. No matter what stumbling blocks you may encounter
or how many mistakes are made, any initiation towards change means a
new beginning. Progression doesn’t happen unless you put it in motion. Start
fresh! Choose today to change today!
Take
new wings of grace and take flight… even if you have to begin again, over and
over again.
Beginning
again is now something I love. Beginning again, with God’s grace from above!
Blessings,
PJ
Payne
