Pastor Andy Stanley, popular for his Your Move podcasts and founder of North Point Ministries is sharing tips on how people can start over successfully, and he said that it all begins when people make the decision to let go of their past.
"Starting over? First things first. Your best bet for a successful future is to own your share of the past," he wrote on his Facebook page. "Release the past so the past can release you."
Coming to terms with the past might seem difficult, he said, but it is essential in claiming a better future. There are actually three things that people must remember when they are preparing to start over in any area of life, said Stanley.
The first thing they must realise is that experience alone does not make people wiser. "Evaluated experience makes us wiser," he stressed.
The second is that knowing better does not necessarily mean that people will have the ability to do better. "Resolve alone won't make the next time better. You have to rethink it," he said. "If you think the way you used to think, you'll do the things you used to do."
Lastly, Stanley said that time is our friend, even if it often feels like the enemy. He said that people need to take their time when starting over and not rush into things. When people plan for their future to be better, the next time can be better than the last time.
One of the things people need to do with their past is offer forgiveness too. People like to blame other people for their mistakes and shortcomings, but Stanley said that "no one has ever blamed their way to a better future." Instead of blame, Stanley suggests forgiveness.
"Forgiveness is a valid choice not because your offender deserves it, but because you deserve it," he simply explained.
