Day 3: You don’t have to get it right first. You just have to start
Here is the third devotional in the series "In the Presence... 31 Days of Experiencing God in All You do"
Scripture: Lamentations 3:22–23
“It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his mercies don’t fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.”
There are some mornings when it doesn’t feel like mercy is showing up. You wake up burdened by yesterday’s failures and disappointments. You might feel anxious about what the day will bring. You might wonder how you will keep going or how to begin again.
The promise of today’s scripture tells us that God will not fail us. This passage says, “His mercies are new every morning.” Each day is the starting line for a new way of life.
What do you do when your phone or laptop isn’t working right? Restart it. The same thing happens for us. Every day starts with a restart in heaven. You may wake up with fears or concerns, but God’s grace never wakes up stale or old. God never grows weary of restarting his mercies and grace for you. If God doesn’t grow weary of you, then maybe… you don’t have to either.
Don’t wait until you have figured it all out or feel like it’s time to start over. Just start. Do something that moves you toward the God that is already with you. You are not cut off from God’s grace. You are the constant recipient of it.
God is pleased when you show up. Not because you’ve solved your problems or because you succeed at everything. Love takes delight in your courage to show up and start over.
Practice: The Restart Ritual
Create a simple restart ritual to reset your day anytime you need to.
Here’s one to try:
Pause. Close your eyes.
Place your hand over your heart.
Breathe in slowly. Say: “God’s meets me here.”
Breathe out slowly. Say: “I begin again.”
Use this ritual whenever you feel like the day is slipping — whether it’s 9:00 a.m. or 9:00 p.m.
Journaling Prompt
“If I believed God was proud of me for simply beginning again, what would change in how I live today?”
Write gently. Don’t analyze — listen.
Closing Blessing
God transforms your day with new mercies,
And dares your heart to try again.
Not in struggling, but in grace.
Then, shame will have no seat at your table,
and regret no grip on your soul.
Trust the God who never gets tired of loving you.
Hear Him say, today and every day “I am with you.”
You’ve already begun again.
That’s enough.
“As You Go” Prayer
Inhale: “New mercies…”
Exhale: “…every morning.”
Let this be your lifeline when regrets or disappointments get you down.
"Not because you haven’t failed in the past." Do mean ..."have failed..." instead of "...haven't failed..."? Not sure what the intent is? Thank you for the closing blessing.
What a beautiful ‘Closing Blessing’! Thank you