"Fresh Start"

Don't know how profound I feel like being today, but the term "Fresh Start" is in my head. I think everyone needs and deserves a fresh start from time to time. A kid that screws up, a first offender, any human being needs a fresh start. We all need the opportunity to not be held to our past mistakes and behaviors, and allowed to grow, learn, and change. We all have the potential to become the best version of ourselves, but often that is determined by our external world. True we are ultimately to live from the inside out, but until our internal strength, and resiliance, maturity and character, and overall self-esteem gets to the point that they can really guide us, we will need fresh starts from time to time. Even God is in the habit of handing out fresh starts to all who ask and believe.

I think the point I am trying to make here is in this life, while we are working out our salvation, there is already that "fear and trembling" thing, wanting desperately to please God, but we work just as hard trying to please people who really matter in our lives. We all just need to cut our family, friends and loved ones some slack, and offer them that "Fresh Start" without them having to ask or beg for it. Stop looking at them through what they did to you or how you feel they did you wrong, and remember what Jesus said from the cross; "It is Finished". From that point on it was as though none of the mistakes of humanity had ever happened. Not granting us  permission to act foolish or to choose willingly to disobey what we know is right, quite the contrary. Instead we are given the chance by God to work it out one day at a time at our pace, trying to hear and discern our path, trying to please Him first and please the people we love that matter in our lives. Now, everyday we have fresh mercies, and a fresh start, and should grant to others as well.