"Allow yourself to be a beginner. No one starts off being excellent." Unknown
"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 43:19, NIV
This begins a 3-part "Manna." This week we will discuss restarting. Restarting might be likened to a computer reboot. Restarting might look like rerouting within a system-generated driving navigation. To start anew is a restart. Restarting follows an interruption. Interruptions may be planned, may be sudden, or may be required. So, because of the connection, restarts may be planned, unplanned (sudden), or necessary (not planned but some reaction time is available).
Oftentimes when we initially think about restarting, it can be a burdensome act. We think about the time, money, and effort already invested. To start over would somehow be a waste. Restarts can be frustrating, causing anger, causing sadness, causing regret, or causing apprehension. Restarting can be a source of disappointment or defeat.
Restarting can take place in any area of our lives, doing chores, completing a project, driving to a destination, completing a task, working on our objectives, preparing a sermon, interrupted vacation, unplanned health diagnosis, and the list goes on...
Sometimes the placement of the restart is linear to my reaction. For example, if the restart follows 20 hours of time invested, I am more disappointed than if I had only invested 2 hours before a restart was necessary.
Sometimes restarts aren't necessary but optional. Meaning we have a choice to continue on the path or to choose to restart.
I want us to embrace restarts. What they represent and why they can be a launching pad vs a stumbling block. Restarts.
Ruth had a restart as she left Moab to go with Naomi back to Bethlehem. Joseph had a restart as he found himself "imprisoned and serving Pharaoh." If we study the story of those who are great in their field, great in their innovative contribution to society, there were restarts!
While we are starting over, we are not beginning without knowledge, without experience, without valuable information to build upon. We are not starting without a network or resources. So in many ways, I am starting over advantaged. Perhaps adopting this perspective makes starting over a bit more palatable. The truth is consistency, discipline, and commitment begin with a "restart" daily or by the hour, sometimes by the minute. Think about addiction recovery, think about exercise discipline, think about mastering a study. In each case, I have to commit to a restart...... I choose to stay sober again on this new day. I choose to restart my nutrition or exercise program again today, I choose to steward my health differently due to a diagnosis. I chose to restart my commitment to my marriage and to my business idea. Restarts require a choice. Restarts require a favorable perspective. Restarts require an investment mentally, emotionally, and sometimes financially. Restarts require an assessment and understanding of what went well in the past and what needs to be modified or abandoned to be most effective and successful going forward.
Is a restart awaiting your commitment. Do you need to restart a relationship? It's called reconciliation. It's called forgiveness. It's called let's connect.
Do you need to restart being more health conscious? Do you need to restart a personal project? A book? A business? A certification?
Whatever IT is, let this email be that gentle reminder, nudge, and encouragement to restart. Loose fear, frustration, and regret and Bind excitement, grace, and commitment to the do-over! Age is not a hindrance to restarting. Embarrassment is not a hindrance to restarting. If we have life, we have time, and in the time given, we can embrace and operate in a restart. Stop delaying, stop putting it off, stop procrastinating. Go on and "Control - Alt - Delete" (how we restart a computer lol).
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