Do not be afraid to start over!

As we celebrate this Easter and enjoy the newness of spring, let us also embrace this time as one of new beginnings. We are in a season where God wants to do something new in the lives of various persons. In order for many to advance, they will need to start over, and starting over is not something many want to or find easy to do - particularly in relationships, employment or migration. Some are even going through some difficulties and God would even want to change their geographic location.

Prosperity, faith and life are each a journey. Wherever favour no longer exists, then it is time to move to the next location and, by so doing, we will need to start over and it may bring us back to basics. Going back to basics means we will need to leave some things behind - friends, family and assets. In other instances, we may need to leave fame and popularity behind in order to attain the new and greater that lies ahead.

God has a path for us to walk and provision to sustain us as well. Starting over also means going into a new profession or field of study. A person may currently be a politician, but God has a greater purpose. You might be a doctor, but what if God is calling you to work in the mission field. You may be a lawyer and God is calling you into counselling and teaching to help the upcoming generation, but you become filled with fear. What if God is calling you to raise up a school, university or a not-for-profit organisation?

Your profession for which you have trained is not necessarily your purpose or calling. Purpose is birthed out of pain and passion. What makes you sad is a clue to your purpose, or what makes you angry and what makes very happy are clues to your purpose.

Each of us was created to bear fruit, but not many are rightly positioned.

DRASTIC DECISIONS

Starting over may mean that we will need to make some drastic decisions. For example, you may be in an abusive relationships, but because of the 'benefits', you are fearful of leaving. Some may also be in a common-law relationship and the other party refuses to be married. They allow the fear factor to hinder them from walking in their true potential.

Move by faith by starting over. Money is not all. Even if it means sleeping on the floor for a while, not going to the hairdresser for a while and doing your own hair, or skipping the barber's chair for a while, not eating out as often, can open the doors for greater possibilities.

Many work in a company for years and have experienced very little growth or success in the organisation. But God would want them to step out and start their own business. The fear of failure consumes them. Fear of failure is a condition of the mind, as is poverty. There are even people that God would want to migrate into other countries, but because they are fearful and refuse, they lose their authority and power where they stay.

Are you willing to be demoted for greater promotion? Are you willing to take less pay? Are you willing to take a lower position in an organisation for a greater possibility in the future?

This may bring discomfort and push you out of your comfortableness! It may even affect your children for a short while. Politicians who lose an election also have to start over. They go through transitions also, because the daily access they had to certain things, they no longer have. But transition is a time of gaining greater wisdom and understanding and opens our eyes to new possibilities. This can also be one of the most difficult times, but this can also draw you closer to God, to seek His face. It is a period that shows you your true friends!

Transition helps you to see things differently, from a different perspective. There are many people who live from pay cheque to pay cheque and they don't believe they can live without a salary for even a moment, but during the period of transition, they find themselves living better than they did when they had a salary.

Never be afraid to start over. It can be the greatest period of gain for you.

• Steve Lyston is a biblical economics consultant and author of several books, including 'End Time Finance' and 'The New Millionaire'.