Coming Home - a Devotional for the Prodigal HeartSample

Day Five:

The Gift of Starting Over

Scripture Focus:
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:22–23 (NIV)
“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” — Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” — 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)

Devotional:
There’s something holy about starting over—but we rarely treat it that way. In a world obsessed with progress and performance, needing a fresh start can feel like failure. Like you’ve messed up again and now you have to go back to square one. But in the Kingdom of God, starting over is sacred.

It’s not a punishment. It’s a promise.

There’s a line in Lamentations that still catches me every time: “His mercies are new every morning.” Not recycled. Not repurposed. New. That means you don’t have to wake up and earn your place again. You get to begin—covered, carried, and commissioned by mercy.

I think of Naomi. Her story in the book of Ruth is one of devastating loss. She left Bethlehem full—husband, sons, future. She returned empty. Bitter. Grieving. She even changed her name from Naomi (“pleasant”) to Mara (“bitter”), because she believed the story of her life was over.

But God wasn’t done. Not even close.

Through Ruth’s loyalty, Boaz’s kindness, and divine timing, Naomi’s story gets rewritten. She becomes the grandmother of Obed, in the lineage of David—and ultimately, of Jesus. Her story didn’t end in famine or failure. It ended in legacy.

God does that. He takes what looks like a permanent ending and writes a new beginning in ink we didn’t know He was holding.

Isaiah 1:18 reminds us that even when our sins are as bright and permanent as scarlet ink, God can wash them clean—white as snow. That’s not poetic metaphor. That’s covenant language. That’s God saying, “I’m not holding this against you. Let’s move forward.”

So if you’re standing in the ashes of what used to be, don’t be afraid to start again. This time, it’s not about striving—it’s about surrender. God doesn’t want your perfection. He wants your willingness.

Takeaway:
The world says starting over is weakness. God says it’s the beginning of transformation. Begin again—you’re already invited.

Prayer:
Father, I’ve carried the weight of what didn’t work, what fell apart, what I got wrong. But I don’t want to live there anymore. I believe You’re the God who makes all things new—including me. Give me the courage to step into a new beginning with You. I don’t need to be perfect—just present.

Journal Prompt:
Where have you been hesitant to start again out of fear of failure or disappointment?

Write out what “new” might look like in that area—and ask God to give you fresh vision to see it through His eyes.