2 Corinthians 5:17 - Contemporary English Version
‘Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person.’
The longing to begin again
You run into someone you have been avoiding for months. At once, you remember the painful argument. You wish things could be different, but where do you begin? Perhaps you are carrying something else: a habit you want to break, a feeling of guilt, or the fear that people will always see you as the person you used to be. You want more than another chance. You long for change on the inside.
A message to corinth
The apostle Paul wrote these words to a Christian church in Corinth. The city was an important trading centre in the Roman Empire. People from different backgrounds lived alongside one another. There were tensions within the church, too. Paul did not tell them they could make themselves completely new if they tried hard enough. He pointed them to Jesus Christ.
According to Paul, a new life begins with Him. You can bring your past to Jesus and receive God’s forgiveness. That does not mean painful memories suddenly disappear or that everything becomes easy tomorrow. It means your past does not have to have the final word.
Sometimes that new direction becomes visible in small steps. Someone gets in touch again after a long silence. A friend asks for help. A woman at church speaks honestly for the first time about how she is doing. Such steps can take courage. You do not have to take them alone.
Final thought
Perhaps you think, “It may be possible for others, but not for me.” Jesus invites you, too. You do not have to make your story sound better before coming to Him. What would you want to tell Him if you could begin again today?
A prayer
“Jesus, I long for a new beginning. You know my past and my worries. Help me receive Your forgiveness, and give me the courage to take the next step. Amen.”