How to Make a Fresh Start

Specific Objectives

At the end of the session, the participants are expected to:

1. Realize that the new year is an opportunity for a fresh start

2. Act on the things we need to make that new start

3. Trust in God and be accountable to the community to commit to these changes for a fresh start

Expanded Outline

I. Introduction

The changing of the year is something that we all celebrate and look forward to. Aside from thanking God and being thankful for all the blessings that He has given us, it is an opportunity to welcome a new year. The new year does not only signify the changing of the calendar but also an opportunity to start anew. That is why a lot of people create new year resolutions hoping to change their lives for the better.

As Christians, we desire a fresh start in every aspect of our lives especially in our journey with the Lord. More than the goals that we want to achieve, we want to live a holier lives and be more attuned to the will of the Lord for us.

II. A God Who Makes a Way

Remember not the events of the past, the things of long ago consider not; See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the desert I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers. (Isaiah 43:18-19)

God is far more interested in our future than He is in our past. Some people think that God is stuck on their past - that all He wants to do is remind them of the things that they have done wrong. God is more interested in your future than He is with your past. That’s where you’re going to spend the rest of your life. He says, “Forget about your past. Forget about the former things. Don’t think about it. Look at the new thing I’m going to do.”

In the Book of Isaiah the prophet, Israel was being punished for their sins and rebellion against God. God wanted to give hope and encouragement to His people. He wanted them to know that even though they were being punished they were not being forsaken. God wanted His people to understand that the punishment that they were experiencing would not be the end of them. The fact is that God wants to give them a fresh start in life, a new beginning in life.

Israel no doubt was discouraged because they thought this was the end of them. They had gone too far, they had sinned and rebelled against God to the point that He would no longer be their God. Maybe they thought God would not deliver us again, it is over. That is when they begin to remember the former things or past deliverances. Israel could remember past deliverances and past victories. They could remember when they were trapped by the Red Sea and had nowhere to go, how God made a way for them. They could remember that when the enemy was about to overtake them how He provided protection for them. They could remember the former things, but they couldn’t see their future. That is why God said; “ I am going to do something new.”

God wants to do something new to us this year! We feel that we have made so many mistakes, have failed God so many times and have sinned all away. We feel that God doesn’t want anything to do with us. We feel and believe that you have no future with God. The good news is, God is saying, “ It’s not over, I have plans for your life. I am about to do something new for you.” God is inviting us to make a fresh S.T.A.R.T.

III. How to Make a Fresh S.T.A.R.T.

Regardless of what kind of failure we had in the past, may be financial, relationship, health or spiritual, God is giving us the chance to start fresh. We just need to have the proper mindset and act so God can shower His graces to us for a new start.

A. S - Stop Making Excuses

A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them he gets another chance. (Proverbs 28:13, NIV)

If we want a fresh start in life, we have to stop making excuses. We got to stop blaming other people and stop seeing ourselves as the victim of my circumstances. Other people can hurt us or our situations may change, but it is how we react to those people and situations that can truly affect us.

Stop blaming your schedule for why we do not pray. Let us stop blaming other people for why we do not read or study the Bible or go to mass. We have control of our lives only if we want to.

B. T - Take An Inventory of Our Life

Did you experience so many things in vain?--if indeed it was in vain. (Galatians 3:4)

Paul is exhorting the Galatians not to give up in their walk in the spirit. He reminded them of the suffering they experienced when they were still in the flesh. In effect, Paul is telling them to “learn from their mistakes”. Indeed, experience is a tool we can use as we start anew.

Let us take an inventory of our lives as we make this new start. If you want to journey closer to the Lord, who are the persons that can help you? What tools can you use to make it happen? These are your inventory. If you want to start a new endeavor, who are the people you can give you advice who are experts in that field? What current skills do you have that you can use? Assess yourself and move forward from there.

C. A - Act in Faith

Then he touched their eyes and said, Let it be done for you according to your faith. (Matthew 9:29)

If we want to start fresh and change our circumstances, we need to act in faith. If we want change and be better in our spiritual walk, it takes faith. If we want to change anything in our life, we need to have faith.

Jesus says this in Matthew 9. “ According to your faith it will be done to you. ” That is a very simple statement but it’s very powerful. “According to your faith it will be done to you.” That means we tend to get out of life what we expect. “According to your faith it will be done to you."

What are We expecting in life? Are things going to be better or worse? Are they going to be the same? If we act in faith then we will do something positive to ensure that you don’t repeat the same mistakes over and over.

D. R - Refocus

With closest custody, guard your heart, for in it are the sources of life. (Proverbs 4:23)

We need to refocus our thoughts if we want to change our lives. If we want to get going again and have a fresh start, we need to rethink how we look at certain aspects in our lives. As they say, “our thoughts affect our belief, our belief affects our action, our action affects our habit and our habit affects our lives.”

If we feel defeated and fearful, it is probably because we are thinking of our defeats and fears. If we refocus our mind on the lessons that we learned when we failed or the possibilities of what we can do despite our fears, we might achieve better results in our lives. It might propel us to do something new that can greatly affect us positively.

Let us also break patterns or habits that lead to failure. Let use remove laziness, procrastination and other bad habits that will sabotage the fresh start that God wants for us.

E. T - Trust

Not by an army, nor by might, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

Trust God to help us succeed. Depend on Him. We don’t need to depend on ourselves. We’ve already proven that we can’t do it on our own. That’s why we have failed. Some people stumble and fall and then they get up and say, “I’ll just try harder!” It does not work that way, we need God’s grace to make a fresh start.

Einstein said that the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing over and over and over and expecting different results.” In the end, we can’t change who we are, only God can do that. Success in the Christian life is not trying harder, but living smarter - giving God control of our lives.

IV. Conclusion

When we become Christians, we become a brand new person inside. We are not the same anymore - a new life has begun!” We experience this in our baptism and a renewed adult experience in our CLS. God specializes in new beginnings. Jesus Christ has the power to do that. We are a new creation in Christ and have a chance to start over. May we all have a fresh start with Christ as we begin this New Year. God says, “I don’t want you to turn over a new leaf. I’m going to give you a whole new life.”

Discussion Questions

For discussion, answer the following questions:

1. What aspect of my life do I need a fresh start? What should I do to make it happen?

2. How can my brothers and sisters help me in this journey to a fresh start?