Daily Devotional, Aug. 19, 2023Restore Factory Settings
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
Revelation 21:5
My friend and I have recently been discussing her regrets on a life-changing decision she recently made. During our conversation I suggested that what if life just had a “Restore Factory Settings” like the ones on our phone? And she said without batting an eyelash that she would really press that button, if only to undo her decision.
Have you ever come to a point when you just so badly want to restart your life? That you so need a clean slate, start over, and wake up the morning before you made that critical choice, so that you could undo it?
Well I have good and bad news for you. The bad news is, you can never undo that wrong that you made. But the good news is, you can start over and move on with Christ Jesus. You see, the Lord makes all things new, as written in the Book of Revelation: “And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”(Revelation 21:5)
We can start fresh by asking for the Lord’s forgiveness for what we have done, repent, and vow to move on and live a life that is glorifying to Him. My favorite preacher says we are not defined by our past, and we can always move on with God’s mercy and grace. In the book of Lamentations we are assured that God’s mercy is renewed daily “Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Now if you find yourself in a circumstance that is not as great as you hoped for because of the wrong choice you made, then just trust that the Lord is powerful and that He has ordained everything that happens to us. That no matter how wayward we have been, He is still the Merciful Father that is willing to embrace us back, and has good plans for us if we only reach out to Him (“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”” Jeremiah 29:11).
We should refrain from focusing on our regrets, and trust Him that He will bring us through it all by living one day at a time in His presence. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)
To move on, we should take up our cross — which most likely is the result of the wrong decision we have made — and continue following Him. And in His good time, everything will again be alright.
Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to read Revelation 21:4-5 and Ephesians 4:22-24 to dig deeper on today’s topic.
Reflection Question: Do you also want to hit that Restore Factory Settings button? What do you want to renew in your life and how can God help you move on?
Conversation with the Lord: Almighty God, I praise and thank you for being so merciful. I would like to take up your offer to renew my life, and I would like to fully surrender my regrets and worries to you. Take away my heartaches Lord and allow me to live a life that is pleasing to you. Amen.
