“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT)

 

While reading his morning newspaper, a man was shocked to find his name listed in the obituary column. He called the newspaper office, outraged that the editor had made such a mistake. “This is terrible!” he screamed. “How could you do this to me?”

The explanation he got didn’t satisfy the man, so he stormed down to the office and demanded to see the editor.

After being yelled at for several minutes, the editor grew frustrated and said, “Look, buddy, cheer up. I’ll put your name in the birth column tomorrow, and you can have a fresh start.”

How many people would jump at the opportunity for a fresh start—a chance to wipe away the past (or, at least, parts of it) and begin again? If you fall into that category, I’ve got some incredible news for you. That’s exactly what the Lord offers.

Look at the apostle Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 5:17: “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (NLT). Winston Churchill said, “Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Many of us can see the truth of those words when we look back at our own lives. We see destructive patterns and decisions repeated again and again. But as Paul pointed out, Jesus frees us from those destructive cycles. If we give our lives to Him, we’re no longer slaves to our old sinful urges and impulses.

The idea of a fresh start may sound too good to be true. Some people have a hard time moving forward as new creations because of lingering guilt or complications regarding their past. Those are weapons the devil uses in his warfare against believers. But God says in Isaiah 43:18–19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” (NIV).

A fresh start doesn’t mean a trouble-free life. Jesus said, “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NLT). Even our trials and sorrows are temporary, part of the seasons of life.

Ecclesiastes 3:1–4 says, “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance” (NLT).

Every season brings a fresh start. Winter may seem endless, but eventually the bleak skies and bitter cold give way to green landscapes and new life.

If you’re struggling in your season of life right now, don’t give up. Draw close to God. Pray. Study His Word. And remember: A new season is on its way. A fresh start is just around the corner.

 

Reflection question: What kind of fresh start do you need? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship!

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