The God of False Starts: Embracing Failure and Finding Hope in our Spiritual Journey

The God of False Starts

Have you ever felt like you were stuck in a cycle of false starts? You start a project, a relationship, or a spiritual discipline with great excitement and energy, only to hit a wall and feel like you're back at square one. Maybe you've experienced this in your relationship with God. You commit to reading your Bible every day, praying consistently, and serving in your church, only to fall back into old habits and neglect your spiritual life.

It's easy to feel discouraged and frustrated when we don't see progress in our lives. We wonder if we're doing something wrong, or if God is somehow holding us back. But the truth is that God is the God of false starts. He is the God who starts and stops, who begins and ends, who works in us both to will and to do according to his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

The False Starts of Scripture

If we look at the stories of the men and women in the Bible, we see that false starts are a common theme. Abraham left his homeland in obedience to God, only to lie about his wife and put her in danger. Moses fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian, only to be called back by God to lead his people out of slavery. David was anointed king by Samuel, only to spend years on the run from Saul and his armies.

Even the apostle Peter, who was given the keys to the kingdom of heaven by Jesus himself, denied knowing him three times on the night of his arrest. Yet in each of these cases, God continued to work in and through these flawed and broken individuals, using their false starts and failures to shape them into the people he wanted them to be.

This is the same God who created the universe out of nothing, who spoke the world into existence, and who breathed life into Adam's nostrils. He is the God who can take our false starts and turn them into something beautiful and glorious.

The Purpose of False Starts

So what is the purpose of false starts in our lives? Why does God allow us to struggle and stumble, to fall and get back up?

One reason is to remind us of our dependence on him. When we try to live the Christian life in our own strength, we will inevitably fail. We need to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out. As Paul writes, "I can do all things through him who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

Another reason is to refine our character and deepen our faith. James writes, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (James 1:2-4).

When we face trials and difficulties, we have the opportunity to grow in our trust and dependence on God. We learn to lean on him more fully and to trust in his goodness and faithfulness, even when we don't understand what he's doing.

The God Who Finishes What He Starts

But perhaps the most important reason God allows us to experience false starts is to show us that he is the God who finishes what he starts. When we feel like we're stuck in a cycle of failure and frustration, it's easy to believe that God has abandoned us or that he's given up on us.

But nothing could be further from the truth. God is the God who never gives up on us, who never lets go of us, who never stops working in us and through us. As Paul writes, "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6).

God is committed to finishing the work he has started in each of us, no matter how many false starts we may have along the way. He is the God who is faithful to his promises, who is true to his word, and who always keeps his covenant. As Peter writes, "And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you" (1 Peter 5:10).

The Hope of False Starts

So what is the hope of false starts? It is the hope that God is with us, that he is for us, that he is working all things together for our good and his glory. It is the hope that even when we fail, God is still at work in us, shaping us into the image of his Son.

It is the hope that even when we feel like we're back at square one, we are actually making progress in our spiritual journey. As Paul writes, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

So let us not be discouraged by our false starts. Let us not give up when we stumble and fall. Let us trust in the God who is the author and perfecter of our faith, who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).

Conclusion

In conclusion, false starts are a normal part of the Christian life. We will all experience times of failure and frustration, times when we feel like we're not making progress in our spiritual journey. But God is the God of false starts. He is the God who is able to turn our failures into victories, our weaknesses into strengths, our stumbling blocks into stepping stones.

So let us trust in him, lean on him, and rely on his strength and power to transform us from the inside out. Let us not be discouraged by our false starts, but rather embrace them as opportunities to grow in our faith and dependence on God. And let us look forward with hope to the day when God will bring to completion the good work he has started in us, to the praise of his glorious grace.