It’s Never Too Late to Start Over

Life is not an unbroken series of victories. The fact is everybody experiences failure in life. We all have setbacks, failures, defeats, and losses. Sometimes defeat can overwhelm you. This is the way Job felt when he said, “My days have passed. My plans are shattered and so are the desires of my heart.” Job 17:11

When you feel like “your days are past and your plans have been shattered” – What do you do? Three things… God says in Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget what happened before, and do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don’t you see it? I will make a road in the desert and rivers in the dry land.”

Forget Your Past. God says, “Forget what happened…” Your past is past. It’s water under the bridge. You can’t change the past by worrying about it. I don’t care what your failure in life is. You are not washed up unless you choose to quit, unless you choose to reject the grace of God. You can either live in condemnation, or you can confess your mistakes and get on with life. Let it go and focus on the future. It’s not so much where you’ve been, but what direction your feet are headed now that counts.

Perceive Your Possibilities. God says, “Look at the new…” You don’t ponder your past… you perceive your possibilities. Be positive and expect God to complete what He started in you. “God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again.” Philip. 1:6 (NCV)

You may think, “It’s too late for me… I’ve lost too much time… I’ll never recover, my life is half over, I’m not even going to try to try again…” Don’t even think that way – not for a minute! Yes, you may have blown it. You may have fallen out of the race. You may have even been pushed out by other people. But God is not through with you! Your race is not over! It’s not how you start the race of life that matters – it’s how you finish.

Expect God’s Help. God says, “I will make a road in the desert and rivers in dry land.” God says, “I will do it.” I will do for you what you cannot do for yourself. Maybe you’ve felt like you’ve been in a desert lately…a spiritually dry place? God says I will make a road…a way out. Maybe you’ve felt emotionally overwhelmed…God says I will make rivers in dry places…I will refresh you.

One of my favorite verses in the Bible is Jonah 3:1 “And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah a second time.” God is the God of second chances. I don’t care how many times you’ve failed, God never gets tired of forgiving you and it’s never too late to start over!

You’re invited this Sunday morning as I share a message of hope and grace. Take a step of faith this Sunday and make the rest of your life the best of your life.

Pastor Ray