We all need a reset

We all need a reset now and then. In fact, almost everything in our lives need a reset from time to time. Those plants you forgot to water? Give them a drink and they’ll come back to full bloom. A fresh coat of paint or a deep cleaning will reset your house. And every kid is hoping for a reset in the new school year, a blank slate and a chance to get better grades.

There’s one thing we all have (or almost all of us) that needs a reset from time to time. Your smartphone. Depending on  your model and version you may need to force quit your apps. You might need to uninstall it and reinstall if it’s really bad. And when it just doesn’t seem to work at all? That’s when you reset to factory settings.

I don’t know this because I’m an electronics expert. I know this because my parents think I’m an electronic expert. Within fifteen minutes of meeting them they are bound to say, “Here, my phone doesn’t work. Can you fix it?” Of course I can’t, but I bet you already know what I tell them.

“Try turning it off and on again.”

We all need a reset in our lives. A turning off of the things that just don’t seem to be working anymore. A turning on of the paths and disciplines that led us closer to Christ in our past. It’s normal and natural, actually. Just like the world goes through seasons, our soul goes through times of growth and warmth until we hit moments of decline and cold.

It’s not a sign of sin and rebellion, that we’ve lost our salvation. It merely signals us to return to what matters most. That’s a bold statement. Who gets to decide what matters most to us? Down deep within all of us there is a witness, a part of our soul that testifies to what is right and what has gone wrong.

That’s the sure sign that a reset is needed. That things aren’t going right anymore. Or at least they aren’t going as right as they once did. What causes that decline or delay? Think about that computer or electronic component that needs a rest. Think of your overgrown garden or messy garage. It’s because we’ve added layers of stuff – programs that slow down computing speed or boxes that take up too much space.

In our souls, we may have added layers of stuff that require us to reset. When you feel that tug in your heart that things just aren’t going right, you have to ask. “Have I added layers of stuff, culture, preferences, interpretations, rules, expectations, traditions to my faith? And in doing so, am I darkening the vision of my creator, changing the original vision of the heavenly artist?”

Jesus came at a time in history when a major reset was needed. He scraped away the layers of religion that had clouded their understanding of just who God was and is. We need that reset today I think.

We have gotten lost in the grime and pollution of our own legalism and misguided traditions. We have lost sight of the goodness of God. We need to reset and clear out some clutter.

But what clutter? That’s a great question. I can’t answer it for you. But let me help you.

Before we go on in this series, it may be helpful to take a look at your life and see what needs to be cleared out. What major area of your life is in need of resetting?

• Is it a constantly busy schedule?

• Is it a relationship that has been wounded for so long you’re just numb to it now?

• Maybe it could be a health problem or a mental strain?

• Perhaps you’re loaded down with too much responsibility?

• How is your attitude towards others?

• How is your perception of yourself?

There are so many things that need to be cleared out, canceled and reset. We can only take them one at a time. But we can all take them with the same goal in mind – the goodness of God. Not living in a way to avoid hell or judgment, but in a way that embraces our true lives in him, in heaven. Here on earth. Let’s reset with goodness and move forward with hope.