Starting Over

Do you ever reach a point in a project, a vocation, or a process when you simply have to start over? Over the fifteen months that I have been writing these weekly articles, I have several articles that are partially done that are filed under the title of drafts. Will those articles ever be completed and published? I don't know. While the ideas for each of them seemed like good topics, the concept never came together to make the article meaningful or helpful. Maybe someday I will understand those topics better and be able to complete the article, or maybe it would be best to let them stay unfinished.

While I can lay aside some unfinished articles, there are many things that should not be cast aside. Instead, we should continue to work through the problems, find better solutions, correct our mistakes, and improve our approach or skills. When you consider the most important things in life, we must realize that we may never get everything perfect. Consider marriage, raising children, being a good friend, caring for others, and being a true disciple of Jesus. Each of these may require us to back up, apologize, ask forgiveness, or grow in understanding.

One of my favorite stories comes from Charlie Shedd who was a Presbyterian minister and author of over 40 books. He led conferences often on family life. When he and his wife Martha were newly married, he made a presentation on "How to Raise Your Children." Sometime later, they had their first child. He gave the same presentation with a new title: "Suggestions for Raising Children." After their third child was born, he still gave the same presentation with yet another new title: "Feeble Hints from a Fellow Struggler."

None of us are perfect in any area of our lives. We are fellow strugglers. As a result, we all need help and guidance, and the real truth is that in some things, we need someone else to do what we cannot do. Specifically, we cannot forgive our own sins. We cannot train ourselves so that we will never sin. We cannot do enough good to earn forgiveness. We simply cannot become the husband or wife, the parent, the friend, the person of compassion, or the follower of Jesus that we desire to be on our own.

We need someone who completed His work without any errors to have direct input in our lives. We need someone who can truly make us new - give us a start over. You and I know that the one who can do that is Jesus. He is the only one who lived a life without sin. He is the one who could truthfully say about His purpose on this earth "It is finished." By His death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, He opened the way by which we could truly have our sins forgiven and given the promise of life eternal in heaven. By His presence in our lives, He gives to us incentive for a marriage of trust, love, and fidelity; compassion and understanding in raising children; desire for lasting friendships; love to care for others; and faith to follow Jesus in all things.

Probably, you already know all of this and are growing in a Christ-centered relationship in all of these areas. But you may know others who are struggling and would greatly benefit from knowing that there is a way to live this life without wishing they could give up or start over. Jesus is that way. Maybe you could share Him with your family member or co-worker who is seeking a better way. We are all "Fellow Strugglers" who need help in our lives. Jesus is that way.