You’re Not Starting Over: You’re Starting From Experience

You’re Not Starting Over: You’re Starting From Experience

There’s something about reaching the middle of the year that makes you stop and look around.

You think about the goals you set.
The plans you made.
The things you said you were finally going to do.

And then you look at where you are right now.

Some things are going exactly as planned.

Some things look completely different.

And some things?

Well…you thought you’d be much further along by now.

So here comes that little voice:

“I need to start over.”

No, you don’t.

You may need to make some adjustments.
You may need to change your approach.
You may even need to let go of a plan that simply isn’t working.

But you are NOT starting over.

Because you know too much now.

You’ve learned some things.
You’ve experienced some things.
You’ve survived some things.
You’ve discovered some things about yourself that you didn’t know in January.

And all of that matters.

Sometimes we look at a change in direction and automatically call it a setback.

But what if it isn’t?

What if the lesson was part of the plan?

What if what didn’t work taught you what will?

What if the closed door gave you clarity?

What if the mistake gave you wisdom?

What if the delay made you stronger?

What if the thing you thought put you behind actually prepared you for what’s next?

That changes the way you look at the first half of the year, doesn’t it?

Because now you’re not looking back thinking,
“I wasted six months.”

You’re looking back saying,
“I learned something in those six months.”

And there is a difference.

You don’t have to erase everything that happened just because everything didn’t happen the way you planned.

Take the lesson with you.

Take the wisdom with you.

Take the confidence you gained with you.

Take the boundaries you learned to set.

Take the courage you didn’t know you had.

Take the faith that carried you through the moments when you had no idea how things were going to work out.

Take it ALL with you.

Because experience is not wasted when you allow it to teach you.

And maybe that’s what July needs to be about.

Not starting over.

Starting wiser.

Starting stronger.

Starting clearer.

Starting with a better understanding of who you are, what you need, what you want, and what God is calling you to do.

You don’t need January 1st to make a change.

You don’t need a brand-new year to make a brand-new decision.

And you certainly don’t need to wait until everything is perfectly lined up before you move.

You can decide today:

“I’m going forward from here.”

Not from where I wish I were.

Not from where somebody else thinks I should be.

From HERE.

With what I know now.

With what I have now.

With the lessons I’ve learned.

With the strength I’ve gained.

With the faith I’ve developed.

Because what you need is already in you.

And everything you’ve walked through has added something to you that you can use for where you’re going.

Remember:

How you go through determines how you come out.™

And you didn’t come through the first half of this year empty-handed.

You came out with experience.

So use it.

You are not starting from scratch.
You are starting from experience.

You are purposed.
You are positioned.
You are predestined.
You are equipped.
You are prepared.

Now keep moving.

The year isn’t over.

And neither is your story.

Let’s take a Selah Moment:

When you look back over the first half of this year, what have you learned about yourself? Instead of focusing only on what hasn’t happened yet, what wisdom, strength, clarity, or experience are you carrying into the rest of the year?

Now Our Faith Declaration:

I will not discount what this season has taught me.
Nothing I have walked through will be wasted.
I am moving forward with greater wisdom, clarity, courage, and faith.
I trust God to use every experience to prepare me for what is ahead.
I am not starting over.
I am moving forward from experience.

With Purpose,
E. Lorraine Gardner
The Purpose Speaker™