Have you ever heard the phrase, “We got off on the wrong foot”? Have you ever felt this way? Maybe you made the wrong impression, used the wrong tone in an argument, or got stuck in a bad habit. We use this phrase because HOW YOU BEGIN MATTERS. 

Your starting point, your foundation, your first move, your source matters. How you begin shapes the rest of your day or your year; shapes the rest of the conversation, relationship, or experience; shapes subsequent actions and decisions. Cause and effect. Like dominoes, how we start something ripples, or even avalanches into the future. 

Let me give you some examples of how you begin matters: 

If I begin my day in God’s presence, I am more at rest, calm. I can mentally process the long sequences of urgent tasks before me. But if I do not spend time soaking in God’s love, I am more likely to be agitated, overwhelmed, irritable. I’ll work hard, but not as efficient and without peace. The domino effect is either increasing joy or increasing anxiety. This can affect our co-workers, customers, family, and so on.  

If I begin a relationship with thankfulness, I am more likely to be kind in my words, let little things go, and focus on the importance of the person and our connection. The domino effect is either increasing tension or increasing intimacy.  If I begin conversation with humility, it is more likely to move towards healthy conflict resolution. But if I begin with an accusatory tone or harsh words, it is more likely to produce defensiveness in the other person and increasing unresolved conflict.

In most cultures, you can’t begin business or negotiations without first building trust through conversation. I know my wife loves to partner in ministry with me but only if we are emotionally connected first. I think God is the same: He desires relationship first, so that the work of ministry flows from intimacy with Him. 

HOW YOU BEGIN MATTERS. Don’t let your day get away from you. Don’t let you year get away from you. Don’t let that relationship get away from you. Don’t start off on the wrong foot. Start off on the right foot. Learn how to begin each day, each season, each year, each relationship, each conversation. 

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness. – Lamentations 3:22-23

Hear is the good news: the scriptures say that God’s mercies are new every morning. There are a few things I relish about this truth: 

First, that the mercies come from God – a good, loving Father who is for us and not against us. They are HIS mercies flowing from HIS unfailing love. This is proven by how He gave His only Son so we could be forgiven and reconciled to Him by trusting in Jesus (John 3:16). 

Second, that there are many, many mercies. It doesn’t say one mercy, but many, never ending. There is no allowance or cap on His mercy. He is a rich and generous God—that is a great combination! 

And third, that these many mercies from God are new every morning. Even if I used up a lot of mercies the day before, there is a fresh batch of abundant mercies again the next day, and the next, and the next. He is the God of redemption and restoration. He is unfailing in His faithful love towards His children. So even if you started on the wrong foot or have been hobbling around on the wrong foot for some time, there are new mercies waiting for you from God today (or tomorrow, if you are a procrastinator). 

ALWAYS start in God’s mercies. Pause each morning to thank God and listen to His word. Orient yourself in truth. Ground yourself in His presence. Focus on the Kingdom. Then live from that place throughout your day. When you begin in the loving delight of God, the rest of your day can flow in rest. Pause before you enter conversations and reorient yourself in thankfulness and forgiveness. Receive God’s mercy and dish it out. If He is richly generous, be richly generous. If there is abundance of new mercies for you, let those mercies overflow to others. As you do this, healing, reconciliation, and deeper intimacy with God and others can flow through your relationships in 2024. 

How can you start on the right foot in 2024?  For our church, we sense God saying, “MORE GRACE”. He wants to teach us to live by increasing dependence on His Spirit. He wants us to live and serve from a place of abiding in Christ. We are going to learn how to receive and align with God’s grace and see that flow to every area of our lives with the abundant blessing of God.  We are praying every wall in your heart will be torn down and you will be empowered to receive the fullness of God’s grace for you. We are praying you learn to live from the right source—in Christ.

Want to invite Jesus into your life?  Learn more.

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If you live in the Saint Louis area, we would love for you to join us any weekend at one of our campuses. You can also check us out online. We pray you find the right community of Christ-followers for you wherever you live.