A Fresh Start

Mary’s Monday Musings to Quilt Encouragement

A Fresh Start

 

We tell children that moving to a new school or a change of teachers is an opportunity to make a fresh start. Adults recognize a change of jobs or a move in a new direction sometimes offers the same chance. Any time we make a new beginning, we have an opening for a fresh start. Many see the beginning of a New Year as an appropriate time to break with unproductive patterns and establish new ones. We talk of making New Year’s resolutions. We resolve to go on a diet, to exercise more regularly, to spend less money in wiser ways. So often these resolutions fail.

 

We don’t need to wait for a new year for a fresh start.  Any day, any hour, over and over every day we can make a fresh start, simply by presenting the need to our God and asking Him for His help to make a change. We need not be alone in our search to progress in our lives. He hears all our requests and understands the cries of our hearts to improve by eliminating bad habits and patterns of unfortunate reactions and to establish better ones. He knows exactly how to help us make beneficial changes in our lives. He is as close as a barely breathed prayer. If we ask, He will remind and lead us to helpful ways to replace old patterns with new ones—one step at a time. He has infinite patience and does not give up on us if we fail time after time.

 

We need not despair when we falter in our resolutions. Better than a resolution that leads to discouragement when we fail, is the practice of turning to God for His help and guidance. We don’t have to wait for a certain date to begin again to overcome our problems. We can merely go to our God for the strength and fortitude to begin again the moment we recognize our need. He knows how difficult it is to break old responses and begin new ones. Because He forgives our failings when we ask, we can forgive ourselves and lay the issue before him once again. If we focus more on seeking to know Him better, to love Him more, we can pray and then trust Him for His help to bring honor and praise to Him with our lives. Then He helps us become less self-focused and more in tune with Him Who wants to help. He responds with His never-ceasing, faithful work in our hearts and lives. Take the pressure of ourselves and team up with God. He’s ready and able. Stand ready to see His love at work in our lives.