Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

—Philippians 3:13

Spring is a season of new beginnings. The trees are budding, the snow is melting, and the birds are returning from their winter migration. It’s a beautiful time of year. It’s a fresh start for the world around us, and it can be a fresh start for us as well.

My recent move to a new apartment feels like a fresh start. I am in a new town and a bit further from work. There are new opportunities and new people to meet. I think anyone who has moved has purged their belongings of things they no longer need or want. I am getting rid of many old clothes that I can no longer wear after my weight loss. You may also get a few new things you need for your new place. I got a new mattress and a few new pieces of furniture. This move feels like a fresh start, a new beginning. I still have my same job, that’s not changing, but there is a fresh start in my new place.

New beginnings can be from a range of contexts; entering a new year, starting a new job, moving to a new city, or beginning a new relationship. A new beginning could also be entering a new phase of life with an updated outlook or belief, like moving to a new place. The Bible offers advice and encouragement for beginning a new chapter by providing the strength and support of God. Embrace a fresh start. Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Every moment is an opportunity for a fresh start. You can argue that everything that preceded this moment has created who you are and how you think. To quote Avery Brooks’ Star Trek: Deep Space Nine character Commander Benjamin Sisko, “We use past experience to help guide us….all the experiences in our lives prepared us for [this moment].” (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine “Emissary”) We still have the capacity to notice the momentum of our lives pushing us in a certain direction, be still, and choose a new response. We don’t need a life-changing event for a fresh start. As you wind down the day, see if you can view tomorrow as the beginning of the rest of your life. Embrace what is to come.