The Will To Begin Again

What needs to be purged from your life?

It’s a battle, isn’t it? Try it—start eating clean, stop drinking, hit the gym, forgive someone who’s hurt you, resist a temptation, overcome an addiction. You’ll see real quick: it’s a fight.

Even when God gave the Israelites the Promised Land, it wasn’t handed to them on a silver platter. They had to go in, show up, and fight. It wasn’t easy.

It was hard work. It took courage—and that fear they felt often stood toe-to-toe with their faith. But Joshua stayed faithful.

They started with Jericho—remember? They marched, they shouted, and the walls came crashing down (Joshua 6).

On another occasion, when the battle was fierce, God did something unthinkable:

“The sun stood still, and the moon stopped until the people defeated their enemies... It waited to go down for a full day.” (Joshua 10:13 NCV)

What a miracle! But even with that miracle, Joshua still had to purge the land, fight the battles, and finish the job.

Why?

Because miracles don’t eliminate the need for effort. God provides—but we steward. And that takes work.

So here’s the question:

What do you and I need to purge? What battles are we avoiding that are keeping us from walking closer with God, loving well, forgiving fully, and finishing strong?

Sounds simple, but it’s not.

After battling leukemia, having no immune system, and fighting a sinus infection that zapped my energy, I’ve fallen off my workout routine. And today—right after I finish writing this journal—I’m dragging my lazy tail back to the gym.

I’ve let my eating slip too. It’s time to get back to the clean stuff—organic food, no alcohol, back to juicing, smoothies, all of it.

You know what I mean—it’s just not easy.

But here’s the good news:

The moment you start to win, you grow. Your faith strengthens. Your life expands.

But if we don’t fight the fight we know we need to fight, we shrink. We decay. Some even spiral.

So—what’s it going to be?

I say, don’t quit. If you mess up (and you will), draw a line in the sand, write the word “START,” and get moving again. Finish well.

You can do it. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, the strength of God, and the support of people walking the same road—you will win.

It won’t be perfect, but over time, you’ll be shocked how far you’ve come.

LORD, give us strength. Give us a heart that wants to be good stewards of every blessing You’ve poured into our lives. IJNIP amen. ♥️