Starting Anew预览

There is something beautiful about entering into a new season or year. Upon its arrival, one is met with moments of reflection, anticipation, and reminders of present potential and future promises.

Yet, I have found that if I am not careful, guilt and regret may try to become companions of my new season.

I find myself wishing I would have done more indoor activities with my children or spent more time with my spouse.

I wonder what would have happened if I would have gotten on the treadmill or elliptical (my least favorite exercise machine) just a few more times.

I obsess over what I should have done to draw closer to God during holidays such as Lent, Good Friday, or Easter.

It is not uncommon for us to think about things we could have or should have done differently during past moments and begin to fall into regret. However, if we are not careful, our reflections can cause us to regress.

Peter, a disciple of Jesus, was likely met with a similar choice in deciding where he would allow his reflections to lead him. Peter was told that he would deny Jesus three times before the rooster crowed the following morning. After hearing the rooster crow and realizing what he had done, we see Peter full of regret and a multitude of emotions. These emotions become evident when it says in Matthew 26:75, “…And he went out, and wept bitterly” (KJV).

In a moment of panic, Peter not only denied being with Jesus but took it a step further and denied even knowing Him. After experiencing so many amazing miracles and encounters while being led by Jesus, Peter – in order to preserve his own life – denied Jesus’ existence in it.

Fear infringed on Peter’s faithfulness to his friend and soon-to-be Savior.

However, he didn’t stay in that place. I love how Jesus constantly shows us that our decisions are not always indicators of our destinies. Shortly after Peter denied Jesus, we see in scripture that Jesus extends to him a reset (John 21:15-17) asking Peter three times to feed His sheep, which refers to those of us that are Jesus’ children. These passages of scripture reveal the power and possibility available as we choose to go from regret to reset.

Tomorrow, I will share three ways we can go from regret to reset. Until then, how have you been embracing God’s divine invitation to reset in this season?