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“Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past.”
Isaiah 43:18
“… But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead”
Philippians 3:13
Those who know me know that I love golfing. One of the reasons I like the game of golf is that every hole offers a new beginning with a new opportunity to score better than I did on the previous one. My performance on the previous hole has no bearing whatsoever on what I am able to do on the next one. If I happened to score a “snowman,” (what golfers call a score of “8”) I can put that behind me and start over fresh on the next hole. Starting new on all 18 holes is psychologically refreshing, challenging and provides hope in the opportunity to improve my overall score.
Starting anew is a central theme throughout the Bible and a tenet of Christianity. Forgiveness and renewal are blessings that God offers to all people who come into relationship with Him. As odd as it may sound, it’s comforting to know that God knows we will mess up. He is thoroughly aware that we will blunder opportunities by slicing off the tee of life.
God is also aware that we have a tendency to dwell on the past holes in life. He tells us through the prophet Isaiah and apostle Paul in the verses above to forget our past blunders and mistakes. Don’t make the mistake of living in the past thinking it will better your future. There is nothing you can do to alter the past. Living in the past is destructive and adds unnecessary stress to your life.
With every new day, God has given us a chance to “start over.” Every day is a new day, one for which we should be thankful and ready to use for God’s glory. “Today is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it” (paraphrased Psalm 118:24) should be our life’s mantra. So go and live each day as if it’s a new day, free of past faults and mistakes. Who knows, maybe God has a hole-in-one in store for you today!
In Christ,
Dave
Additional reading for encouragement:
In that Day…
How to Start Your Day Off Right
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