Fresh Start part 5
Sometimes you think you've gone too far. You get caught up in something and then you look around and you don't even know where you are anymore. I think that's a pretty common thing in this life. But here's the truth of the matter: God allows U-turns. In fact, He encourages them. He did the biggest U-turn you could think of on the cross. From death to life. And He did both FOR us, and AS us. So no matter what has happened... there is NO point of no return. There is no, "I'm doomed, so I might as well give up." In fact, the only way to truly fail is to fail to try. Proverbs 24:16 says it like this, "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again..." It's not how hard you can hit... it's how hard you can GET hit and keep moving forward. And when we understand the finished work of the cross, we understand that Jesus is the One holding us up. And if Jesus--if LOVE--is holding you up... then what could possibly knock you down? Spoiler alert: The answer is nothing. And that's why, especially when I REALLY want something, if I get a "no" for an answer I don't look at it as a rejection. I look at it as a redirection. Because my heavenly Father knows what I NEED. And what I NEED and what I WANT are sometimes very far apart. So it's important to understand that this new life... is HIS life. Jesus living His own abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life in us, and through us, and as us. It's GOD working in us to will and to do of HIS good pleasure. It's God--again, love--manifesting Himself to us and through us. It's a fresh start... not a do over. It's not "You get one more try, good luck." It's partaking of the Divine Nature and resting as Jesus (the Word) lives (becomes flesh) in us. And that's when we can EXPERIENCE His life. By experiencing His love. That's when things change. Completely. That's when we can walk in newness of life. Because we KNOW all things are under our feet, and even when we don't SEE all things under our feet we DO see Jesus. We DO see love. Wherever we are. No matter what the circumstance or situation is. So in some ways it may not seem like our fresh start comes with a lot of changes. We are still going to go through stuff. But at the same time, we will be able to see that EVERYTHING has changed. Because we'll be going through stuff... but stuff won't be going through us. We won't be trying to overcome. We'll understand that in Him we have ALREADY overcome. Because HE overcame the world. That's why we can be of good cheer. We won't have to try to conquer. Because in Him we are MORE than conquerors. Because HE already conquered. He didn't just give us a new lease on life. He gave us HIS life. On the cross Jesus gave His life FOR us, and He gave His life TO us. So that we could experience it and enjoy it as HE lives it. So when we think we've messed things up beyond the point of no return... all we have to do is turn around. Because He promised He would never leave us nor forsake us. He lives IN us. Wherever you go, there He is. So you can stop going the way you've been going and you can let Him take you where HE wants you to go!