A Fresh Start

Introduction:

Perhaps, there have been times in your life when you felt desolate, alone, and that there was no one who cared. Perhaps you have gone through life like a hurricane, hurling insults and criticism, and tearing up everyone and everything within sight. You’ve hurt those who loved you, and walked on others and chewed them up like a garbage disposal. Now, here you are, all alone and in the wilderness of despair.

All has not been lost. As we enter a brand new year, a year filled with hope, promise, and insight, staring fresh is an option. You and I can view this year as a blank canvas. An artist methodically scrutinizes his subject, then dips his brush into paint and begins to fill the canvas with something that is fresh and innovative. Like the artist, you can fill your canvas of life with whatever you want to. In Christ you can be whatever you want to be, and you can pursue whatever course you desire to pursue. Get your notebook and pen out …and make a list. Write your past mistakes, the folks you have hurt, the ones you need to ask forgiveness, and the hurt and pain you have endured. Then list your goals and aspirations. I want you to remember: You have to be brutally honest. Nobody should read this notebook but you. It’s between you and God. As you write, pray, and study God’s Word, you should be able to experience a change of:

Thought, a different way of thinking, a mind change:

A new way of thinking is not an option, but a perquisites. In order to receive forgiveness, you must first have a change of mind. If you want to be forgiven, you must ask those who you have injured. If someone has hurt you; either verbally or physically, you should be willing to forgive them. This is the season, the year for a new and fresh start, a new beginning, if you don’t lose hope. As long as you have breath in your body, it is not too late for a fresh start. It begins with your mind, your heart, and your thoughts. You must WANT to begin anew. You must WANT a new beginning. You must want to change. It is your choice. Nobody can make the decision for you. Nobody can do it for you. You must want the Lord to transform you into a new person by transforming your thought pattern, the way you think.

Don Colbert, M.D. author of Deadly Emotions: Understand the Mind-Body-Spirit Connection That Can Heal or Destroy You, writes "I've worked with countless people who have discovered that once they made a sincere effort to tackle their dysfunctional thought patterns, they had fewer bouts of depression, anxiety, anger, grief, shame, jealousy, and all other toxic emotions.”

Your thoughts can not only hinder your Spiritual growth, and your blessings, but it can also affect your health; both mentally and physically.

The Apostle Paul in his epistle to the Romans and to you and me pens Romans 12:2: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

In his letter, Paul is admonishing believers to not be “conformed” to the world. What does he mean by this? The Greek word for conform is “Suschematizo.” This means: To conform your mind or pattern to another pattern. In other words, if you are in school or the workplace with unsaved folks who are drinking, doing drugs, gang activity, you should not become a conformist. Your Light should be shining so that others will have the desire to turn from evil to God.

The apostle is saying, :”…be not conformed to this world.” Don’t become a partaker of what the world is doing. Don’t give in to peer pressure.

How are we to abstain from being a conformist? How do you work or go to school with party goers, and drinkers and drug trafficking and not conform?

Do we run away and become a hermit? No! The apostle continues, “but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

The Greek word for “renew” is Anakainosis which means: “a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better.” I worked for a construction company for years, and I supervised a lot of renovations. The interior of a house, sometimes, was completely hulled out, and new materials; lumber, flooring, electricity, plumbing, were used. The house, though old, when completed was like new. This is what must happen to us. All our old way of thinking, our way of talking, of walking must undergo a complete renovation.

In order for your thinking, your mind to be renewed you must have the Holy Ghost. Romans 8:5 tells us that, “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” (KJV) For a new way of thinking we must focus on Spiritual things. You should allow the Holy Ghost to lead you.