Looking up to my older friends, it once seemed to me that women in their late twenties suddenly fell into good practices. Many I know valued (and even enjoyed) eating healthy. A young mom I admired always woke up before her kids to workout. The older women in church seemed to know a ton of Scripture by heart.
I assumed there was a moment when those sorts of things just happened…
Like on your 26th birthday carrots suddenly sound as tasty as cake, or when you’ve reached the mom-of-two milestone your muscles start aching to lift weights. Silly as it seems, I kind of thought that all those older women knew God’s Word so well just because they were older women.
As it turns out, good changes don’t usually happen by accident or as a matter of course. They have to begin.
Starting well is a decision, and it’s one made day by day.
I realize now that living life well often comes with recognizing and seizing opportunities to start something new and worthwhile. A new habit. A new friendship. A new commitment to Scripture….and then the next day, starting that habit up, calling that friend, opening His Word, again.
Though we often wait for life to force us to change, part of being someone who starts (and lives!) well is recognizing that, regardless of our external circumstances, something’s always changing. Always ending. Always beginning. But we have a say in how we participate.
“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” -2 Peter 1:3
As believers, this matters even more. God’s Word likens life to a race, to a path, to a way. Giving us free will, God gives us a say as we navigate.
Giving us salvation, freedom, and the Holy Spirit, God gives us what we need for living well- day by day. Choice by choice. Start by start.
There are many Bible-words and concepts that teach us about this gift of getting to choose to start well over and over again.
The beginning of wise living is fear of the Lord.
The straightening of the path is acknowledging God in all our ways.
This race run well has an aim: Christ.
New life involves putting on the new self.
Although we are wasting away, we are inwardly renewed day by day.
God’s grace is sufficient though we continually fail in our weakness.
Good is made for His glory out of everything- even our sloppy starts and fussy finishes.
His mercies are new every morning.
Living each day as if we have a say and an ability to live to God’s glory means that we will always be-beginning. Let’s not grow weary- let’s learn to start (and restart, and then start again) well.
I’m taking 4 weeks to look into God’s Word for wisdom on living as one starting well. It would be a joy to have you join me.
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Your title, Starting Well is a Decision You Have to Make Over and Over Again is exactly right. And wouldn’t it be lovely if suddenly I wanted carrots more than cake! At 62, I promise, I still need to start over-even on things I thought I could do.
Haha, Debbie, I agree- that’d be lovely! So encouraging to hear you say you have to start over so much too!
Every day. Every single day is a new morning to be reminded of our need to be sober and prepared to run, to race, to press towards Jesus. Thank you so much for giving us this encouragement on a Monday morning!
Happy to encourage, Emily! What a gift that everyday there is newness!
Your title pulled me right in, and your words are filled with wisdom. I often have to remind myself… ‘today is a new day, you can start afresh, never mind what happened yesterday’. Sometimes the time period even shortens… ‘never mind what happened an hour ago, I can choose better now’. Thank you for the encouragement! Blessings to you!
Thank you Carlie- any good here is because the Lord is gracious. I have to remind myself of the same. Even beyond days and hours, for me it’s often in the midst of an attitude or a task that I need to know I have a choice and can start fresh! God bless you, too!
Yes! Great post! We often hear about finishing well, something I used to say to my kids often, but not about starting well! Such a good perspective!
Thanks Karen! Yes, I hear “finish well” and say it sometimes too- it was a blessing to me to realize there’s a way to start well too.
Great post, Bethany, and I’m thankful for fresh starts in Him. And that verse about not despising small beginnings comes to mind. Everything but God has an origin. #MindBlowing
#Mindblown : ) Yes! Great verse to remember! Thank you!
Amen! We always have a choice in how we participate. And, we are called to be excellent in all we do and give God the glory!
Yes! Thankful the Lord is so gracious as we make these choices!
So timely 🙂 That happens so often!
So glad! : )
I love that list of Biblical wisdom, Bethany! What a great idea for a series. You’re reminding me to stick with my better diet and exercise plan. I STARTED well, but have let it fall by the way side. 🙂
Thank you, Betsy! Ooooff, diet and exercise plans are hard- thankful for restarts (I need one in the same vein too!)
I like that, “we have a say in how we participate.” We always have a choice about how we respond, don’t we! Thanks for reminding us about our faithful Father who allows and helps us to start over and over and strengthens us to commit to making good choices again and again.
Yes, Donna! Attitude and response are choices we are free to make always. So thankful for that freedom and God’s grace is helping us to use it well!
Everyday we step into it again you are right. It is not a one and done deal. Amen!