Time to Reset

Scripture Invitation

Brothers and sisters, I invite you to turn your hearts and Bibles to the powerful words of Lamentations 3:22-23.

It is here that the Holy Spirit lays the foundation for our journey into God's Invitation to Reset.

As we prepare our hearts for God's Word, I summon your senses and invite your intellect to this profound passage, where we will discover the transformative hope found in God's daily renewal of His mercies.

Bible Passage

Lamentations 3:22–23 ESV

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Introduction

Have you ever found yourself in a place of despair, wondering if there was any hope for change or renewal?

Have you longed for a fresh start, a chance to begin again?

Well, I've got good news for you today!

Our God is a God of new beginnings, a God whose mercies are new every morning.

And as we stand on the cusp of a new year, I believe He is extending an invitation to each and every one of us—an invitation to reset, to renew, and to realign our lives with His purposes.

To fully grasp the power of this invitation, we need to understand the context in which these words were written.

The book of Lamentations is attributed to the prophet Jeremiah and was penned in the aftermath of one of the darkest moments in Israel's history—the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.

The city lay in ruins, the temple was destroyed, and the people were carried off into exile.

It was a time of unimaginable grief, despair, and loss.

Yet, in the midst of this devastation, Jeremiah offers a glimmer of hope.

In chapter 3, verses 22-23, he declares, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

These words are a testament to the unwavering faithfulness of God, even in the face of judgment and destruction.

They remind us that no matter how dark the night, God's mercy dawns afresh with each new day.

So, my question to you today is this: Are you truly ready for a reset? If so there are a few things we need to understand

1. First we must understand The Power of a Reset

Throughout the Bible, we see countless examples of individuals who experienced dramatic life resets.

Take Saul of Tarsus, for instance.

Here was a man who was a fierce persecutor of the early church, hell-bent on destroying this new faith.

But on the road to Damascus, he had a life-altering encounter with Jesus that transformed him from a persecutor to a preacher, from Saul to Paul.

His reset was so profound that he went on to become one of the most influential figures in the history of Christianity.

Or consider the story of the prodigal son.

This young man had squandered his inheritance and found himself in a state of utter desperation.

But when he returned home in repentance, his father welcomed him with open arms, offering him a reset, a fresh start.

This parable reminds us that no matter how far we've strayed, God is always ready to receive us back with mercy and grace.

2. Next we must understand The Need for a Reset

Why is a reset so important?

Why do we need this invitation to begin again?

Well, if we're honest, we live in a world that is deeply fragmented and divided.

Recent studies have shown that 92% of American adults embrace a blend of various ideologies and beliefs, rather than a single, cohesive worldview.

We're a society that is struggling to find unity and purpose.

And if we look at our own lives, how many of us can say that we're truly living in alignment with God's purposes?

How many of us have allowed the cares and distractions of this world to pull us away from our first love?

We need a reset because we need to get back to the heart of who God is and who He's called us to be.

2. Finally we need to Embrace a Reset

So, how do we embrace this invitation to reset?

How do we practically apply this truth to our lives?

Well, it starts with recognizing that God's mercies are new every morning.

This means that no matter what happened yesterday, today is a new day, a fresh start.

We don't have to be defined by our past failures or mistakes.

We can choose to step into the new beginning that God is offering us.

But it doesn't stop there.

Embracing the reset also means actively pursuing spiritual renewal.

This might look like setting aside daily time for prayer and reflection, engaging in practices like fasting or solitude, or seeking out accountability and community with other believers.

It means being intentional about aligning our lives with God's Word and His ways.

And here's the beautiful thing—as we embrace this reset, as we daily receive God's mercy and grace, we begin to experience the transformative power of renewal.

We start to see our lives, our relationships, and even our world through the lens of God's redemptive purposes.

We become agents of reconciliation and hope, pointing others to the God whose mercies never end.

Closing

As I close,

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, I want to extend God's invitation to you once again.

It's time for a reset.

It's time to let go of the past and lay hold of the new beginning that God is offering you.

It's time to align your life with His purposes and experience the transformative power of His daily mercies.

Will you accept this invitation?

Will you say yes to the God whose faithfulness never fails, whose mercies never run dry?

If you're ready for a reset, if you're ready to embrace the new thing that God wants to do in your life, then I invite you to stand with me now.

Despite the challenges you face, there is courage in the reset.

Despite the darkness around you, there is light in the reset.

Despite the doubts you have, there is faith in the reset.

Despite the mistakes you've made, there is forgiveness in the reset.

Despite the pain you've endured, there is healing in the reset.

Despite the losses you've experienced, there is hope in the reset.

Despite the setbacks you've encountered, there is perseverance in the reset.

Despite the fear that grips you, there is bravery in the reset.

Despite the failures you've had, there is learning in the reset.

Remember, in the reset, there is victory to be had, God's hand to be seen, His embrace to be felt, His faithfulness to be witnessed, His strength to be received, His transformation to be encountered, and His promises to be held onto.

So, let's step into this new year with faith, with courage, and with the assurance that our God is a God of new beginnings.

Let's embrace the reset and watch as He transforms our lives and our world for His glory!