Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you; I will make known to you my teachings.”

January 1 is seen by many people as a day for fresh starts. Some religions actually treat it that way. In reality, you could close your eyes and throw a dart at a calendar, and those 24 hours are essentially no different than any other 24 hours in the year. But just like there is a starting line in a race, it is good to have times when we stop, reflect, and pursue a fresh and new look at who we want to be as we move forward in this life. A clean start. Sometimes when we decide to improve our lives, we recognize that we need to give up certain habits or behaviors before we can adopt new ones. Other times, we simply try to pile new things on top of the same old ones that have always been there. In this passage, Solomon gives us a great strategy. We evaluate our lives under the guidance of the Holy Spirit and Scripture to recognize those things that, while not necessarily evil or bad, keep us from pursuing God’s best. We certainly turn from the sin in our lives as we are redirected toward more godly living. Once we have done that, we are in a position to receive God’s redirection and plans that will bring peace, growth, and power into the next part of our journey. Whether you are seven or seventy, we all need these times of reflection, repentance, and renewal. Today, allow God to do that work in you. #BeTheEdge

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2 NIV