DO OVER or BEGIN AGAIN?
Here I am… nearing the end of my 40th year of life. The “big 40!” And it is almost over… in a few short weeks, the calendar of my life will once again change. It didn’t start that way. I started my 40 in a wonderful manner with a series of fellow business owners asking me what made me successful… what are pitfalls they could avoid… I was honored! 30 of my peers asked ME what they could be doing better.
Which makes me wonder: Why did this year did not end up so well? I made quite a few mistakes… and a number of gigantic blunders as well.
Which led me to think: What would I do differently? What would I change? What would I do… if I had a do over?
You know: A “do over.” Like one of those movies where someone dreams their future… and wakes up only to find that none of it has happened. Sometimes I wish that is where I was at. Don’t get me wrong… I love spending time with my family. I love spending time with my wife. I love running a business that I have started from scratch.
But what would I do differently? What changes would I have made?
Different decisions? Actions? Thoughts? … And how would they have affected my future?
The answer is: “I don’t know!” and I never will… It is a faulty way of thinking. I can not go back and change the past. No matter how hard I try, there is no time machine. There is no way for me to go back and undo things I have already done. The good or the bad has already been planted.
But… I can begin again. I can change today. I can make new choices. Better choices. I can begin again. I can “renew” my mind. And I can plant these good and positive thoughts and actions in other people’s lives.
Even if I mess up today… I get a chance to “begin again” once again, tomorrow morning.
Isn’t God’s grace great?! I get to begin again every single day. I get to make the decision to do what is right… and good… and holy… every single day. And when I mess up… He forgives me.
Oh thank You, God, so much for forgiving me! Every single day!
As scripture says: “His mercies are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness, O Lord, to me.”
Always remember, God does not allow “do overs” … we can’t change the past. But he allows us to “begin again”… every single day.
Thank you,
Greg Swartz