"Go Ahead...take the Mulligan this Year"

I heard the story of a golfer who was on the first hole and he teed the ball up…nice long drive but it landed right on an anthill.  Rather than move the ball, he decided to hit it where it was lying.  He gave it a really powerful swing….dirt flew everywhere…sand was flying and he must have killed a thousand ants with that one swing.  Everything flew into the air…except the ball.  It sat right in the same spot.  So he lined up and tried another shot. Clouds of dirt and sand and ants went flying again. The golf ball didn't budge.   Just two ants survived and one of them was dazed.  He said to the other …, "Whoa! What are we going to do?"  Said the other ant: "well, I don’t know about you, but I think it’s time to get on the ball.”

For some of us the New Year is a time for us to do something, a time to get on the ball.  A time to set goals and resolutions.  I always look forward to a new year because it gives me a fresh start.  

In golf there is what is known as a mulligan shot.  Even if you don’t play golf you have probably heard someone use the expression that they are going to "take a mulligan."  We don’t know for sure where that phrase comes from but one story goes like this:  a man named Buddy Mulligan worked as an attendant in the locker room at a Country club in New Jersey in the 1930s.  At the end of the day when he would finish cleaning the locker room, he would ask one of the golf pros if they would play a round with him. Well, one day his first shot was so bad that he asked the golf pro if he could take another shot.  He said, "you know, I’ve been working in the locker room all day and you’ve been practicing all day….it seems fair that I could take that shot over."  So he did.  And the shot became known as a mulligan.  This got me to thinking.

Mulligans are not only needed in golf, we need them in every area of life.  It’s like forgiveness…..it’s a second chance…a do over….a fresh start.  Thankfully, God still offers mulligans to His people.   He does this because:

He is far more interested in our future than He is in our past.

Regardless of what kind of failure, collapse, defeat, deficiency, disappointment or setback you may have experienced in 2013, you can have a fresh start now.  Try these 5 things.  

1.  Stop making excuses.  Stop blaming other people.  Stop seeing yourself as the victim.  I see far too many people who say you know I wouldn’t be this way if  

·        I had grown up in a different family

·        My husband or wife would change

·        If someone hadn’t spoken so harshly to me

Yes other people can hurt us; they can even scar us.  But there is only one person who can ruin your life and that’s you.  No one can ruin your life unless you give them permission to do so.

 2.  Take inventory of your life.  All of us have failures---the difference is some of us have learned from them and corrected them—others just continue to make the same mistakes over and over.  It's like the definition of insanity....."doing the same things over and over but expecting different results. "  Look closely at your life and make the necessary changes.  

3.  Act.  The Bible teaches that the key to changing anything in life is faith.  Jesus said in Matthew 9---according to your faith it will be done to you.”  We cannot just sit back and let life happen to us as though we have no responsibility.  There comes a time when we must take action.  To take a step of faith we have to stop having a pity party.  Believe me, I know how this works. Because I used to live there too.  “Poor me.  I’m such a victim.  Life is so unfair."  

4.  Refocus.  If you want a fresh start you have to rethink the way you think.  Proverbs 4:3 says,"be careful how you think.  Your life is shaped by your thoughts.” If you are depressed, discouraged or distressed it could because you are thinking those kinds of thoughts.  But we have a choice.  Choose to refocus.  Let go of those things.  The more you hold on to them, the more they can hurt you.  So refocus.  Renew your mind with scripture.

 5.  Trust.  Learn to depend on God.  Most of us have already proven that we can’t do life on our own.  That’s why we have made so many mistakes. But some of us don’t get it.  We stumble and fall and when we get up we say "I’ll just try harder."  Instead of trying harder, learn to place your trust in the One who created you.  He understands far better how things are supposed to work.  Let Him take control of your life. And for now, take the mulligan.

Prayer.  Lord, I have decided that for 2013 I am taking a mulligan.  Please don't put the score for last year on my scorecard.  Give me a clean slate and allow me to have a fresh start. Forgive me of the sin in my life and help me to move me forward.  In Jesus name. Amen.