Begin. Again.

Of all the songs to strike me on this #seniorPastorMonday, it's the lyrics from U2's New Year's Day.

Four simple words. Count them. Four. 4. quattro.

"I will begin again."

We keep hitting these stages and phases in life, where in the frustration of realizing that we aren't as far along as we should, planned or hoped that we would be; we also don't want to go back to the very beginning. Often times we don't "have" to do so. But at other times, we might not have a choice in the matter either.

Resolve, however, is the first step.

I can't fathom what some pastors have gone through in the tenure of their ministries. Mistakes of the own undoing, ousting(s) that were beyond their control and situations that simply couldn't be overtaken nor the people affected won over. It almost overwhelming to consider.

I think of my own life, the things I've had to revisit and restart... even all the way back to the beginning. And the resolve has been both lax and lacking altogether at various times. But God is a God of redemption. And we see even where he, began again. Destroyed the people of the Earth, save Noah and his family and began again. He made Israel wait to enter Canaan until an entire generation had passed away. 

There is great power, and possibility in beginning again.

It's an exciting process, but an anxious prospect.
But this is what God does. Creation and re-creation is His specialty.

And despite how we've arrived back at the starting line, I think God smiles as He prepares people to send forth, a second, third and even a fourth time... to begin again.

Pray this #seniorPastorMonday for those pastors who find themselves in places where they don't want to start over. Whatever the nature of loss they have endured, pray that God would strengthen their entire being and refresh their spirits to a new work. Pray they would find the resolve to not allow detours and derailment to keep them from the work God has ordained for them to accomplish; whether it be a continuation of work or going in a different direction. May depression and discouragement be far from them; if when the feelings of unworthiness and worthlessness are great. Pray that anxiety and fear would not dissuade or hinder one's ability or wherewithal; but that they would be quickened, to begin. Again.

For the glory of God
And the cause of Jesus Christ.

- PNC