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Do you need a fresh start?

By DAVID CHANCEY
Contributing Writer

A pastor was out riding his bike when he saw a boy with a lawn mower for sale.

“How much do you want for that mower?” he asked.

“I want just enough money to buy a bike,” the little boy answered.

Then the pastor asked, “Why don't we trade?” So the boy looked over the bike while the pastor looked over the lawn mower. The preacher began to pull on the rope to get it started. He pulled and pulled, but it wouldn't crank.

He called the boy over and said, “I can't get this mower started.”

The boy said, “That's because you have to cuss at it to get it started.”

The preacher replied, “I'm a minister and I don't cuss. It's been so long since I've been saved that I don't even remember how to cuss.”

The little boy looked at him and said, “You keep pulling on that rope and it'll come back to you, I promise.”

That's the trouble with making New Year's resolutions. The bad habits keep coming back to haunt us and side track our good intentions. Any time is a good time to make a commitment to improve your life, but especially the beginning of a new year gives us a sense of having a fresh opportunity.

Do you need a fresh start? God wants to do a fresh thing in your life. Isaiah 43:19 reads, “Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth.” How does that happen? Let me make several suggestions.

First, stop making excuses. It's time to stop giving the Lord excuses for our spiritual slackness. We need to take responsibility. No one but you can begin your exercise program. No one but you can make you stop smoking. No one but you can get back in church on a consistent basis. Our excuses say a lot about our spiritual life. They often indicate our lack of commitment or willingness to give God a chance to change our lives.

Second, stop procrastinating. Sometimes we put off strategic steps that will help us grow spiritually or develop personally. We put off unpleasant tasks or rearranging our priorities. The primary reason many people put things off is that they are waiting for some perfect moment or perfect set of circumstances. Unfortunately, life must be lived under imperfect conditions. There is never an ideal time to address that change or work on that area of your life.

Third, stop living in the past. Sometimes we can't enjoy a fresh start because we're holding onto some past hurt, disappointment or regret. Life is full of hurts. People will often disappoint you.

Even though people will hurt, no one can make you bitter without your permission. None of us knows what's going to happen this year, but we can choose how to respond to what happens this year.

Fourth, stop fearing failure. Too often we hinder a fresh start because we're afraid that we're going to fail or make a mistake. We've all made mistakes, but mistakes are part of living life. Mistakes are great teachers if we're open to learning from them.

Fifth, start somewhere. Take a step in the right direction. Good intentions only go so far, so step out. Make it practical and simple. In an article entitled “Don't Go Overboard with New Year's Resolutions,” Kimberly Mock suggested some tips to help make 2005 goals a reality. She said don't load up on resolutions. Choose one goal and then work towards it. And don't resolve to change overnight. Changes take time and discipline.

Sixth, lean on the Lord's strength. One of the biggest reasons that we don't stick with spiritual improvement is we launch out in our own strength instead of depending on the Lord. We get used to where we are, even if we're in a rut.

A 20-year-old went to a palm reader. She looked at his palm and said, “You're going to be miserable, lonely and poor until you're 30.”

“What happens when I turn 30?” he asked.

“You'll get used to it!”

Don't settle for good when God calls you to be great. Don't live in your own strength when you can live in the Lord's strength.

Finally, enjoy today. Today is a gift. The past is gone and there's no way to change it. The future is still before us. So really all we have is today. So take it just like we do any gift and embrace it, open it, and use it with gratitude.

What commitments does the Lord want you to make that will make you a stronger person this year?

(Dr. David L. Chancey is pastor, McDonough Road Baptist Church, Fayetteville. The church family gathers at 352 McDonough Road and invites you to join them for Bible study at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 10:55 a.m. on Sundays. Visit them at www.mcdonoughroad.org. for more information.)