“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

I saw this quote by George Eliot and pondered it awhile. Yes, we can’t turn the clock back, but we can start where we are today and make improvements. “If I only knew 20 years ago what I know now, what a difference it would have made.” We can probably all say that but life doesn’t work that way, does it? However, what good does it do us to live with regrets? That doesn’t gain any ground and only makes us depressed or doubting ourselves for the future.

Definitely, a better way exists through our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, we can’t change mistakes we made in the past, but we can do things to try to right them, if possible. If not, we simply have to go on from there and learn not to make the same mistake again. How do we start?

2 Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

Ephesians 4:22-24: You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

Colossians 3:9-10: Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Hebrews 10:19-22: Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

1 Peter 1:3-5: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade — kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.

Today we can resolve to celebrate the new birth that we received when we accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and to do our best to follow God’s way for us to live. We can change our frown for a smile and be pleasant to those who are not. That doesn’t hurt us and we will feel better for it; so will everyone around us. Grumpy people are contagious, but so are happy people. Which would you rather be around? Which would you rather be? Because of the new birth we have, we do have a choice. Our sins are taken from us, God is our Father, Jesus is our Lord and the Holy Spirit lives in us to guide us. Rejoice! Put the past behind and let this day be the beginning of the rest of your life and let it shine for our Lord.