When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court. Straightening up,Jesus said to her, "Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?" She said, "No one,Lord." And Jesus said, "I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more” (John 8:9-11).
Do you feel like you could use a fresh start? Perhaps the past year has been a struggle for you in some way. Maybe you have been fighting a particular sin in your life and, lately, you have lost more battles than you have won. It could be that you have faced a setback of some kind that has added stress to your life. Perhaps you have said or done something that has damaged a relationship with someone else. There are any number of scenarios that can leave us wishing for a “do over” in life.
Jesus offered a “do over” to the woman in John 8. He didn’t condemn her but encouraged her to start over. “From now on, sin no more.” No unnecessary dwelling on past failures. No extra-helping of guilt. Just a reminder to her to draw a line in the dirt of life and make it a starting line, not a finish line.
The start of a new year is a great time for a “do over.” While January 1 is no more powerful than any other day, it is great time for a fresh start -- an opportunity to clear the slate and start over. While a “do over” doesn’t automatically eliminate all consequences of our previous actions or mean that future struggles will be avoided, it does allow us to make necessary adjustments and try again.
The failures of the past day, week, or year do not have to define us. “From now on” for us begins the moment we determine, with God’s help, to begin again.
God loves you!
Mike
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