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But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:21-23, ESV).
A blog that I read regularly ended with this quote from Harrison Ford, “We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.”
Let’s talk about my theology of second chances.
When discussing a second chance, most give the impression of just working harder, of being patient and persevering. This is what J.K. Rowling (author of the Harry Potter books) meant when she wrote, “Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.”
I agree that we should not give up, but after decades of talking to others about their second chances, I know many who’ve tried everything possible and still haven’t succeeded. Then the idea of a second chance becomes a cruel cudgel: should they continue with a third or fourth chance or just give up?
Personally, I’ve failed more times than found success with my ideas. And yet I keep trying. Am I trying to get my name listed in the Guinness Book of World Records or just hard-headed? I solved this dilemma years back after reading…
There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons (1 Corinthians 12:6, NASB1995).
This passage teaches that God’s in charge of the effectiveness of our efforts. This is when I began thinking, “I don’t have to succeed; I just have to try.”
When I hear J.K. Rowling or Harrison Ford comment on trying again, knowing their overwhelming accomplishments with their second chances, and comparing their results with what happens when I try again, I have a choice — either get depressed or leave the results to God. Weirdly, I found freedom knowing that I don’t have to succeed and that the growth in my character by continued effort was good enough for God.
Jesus elaborates on this principle of trying without worrying about the result in His Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), where the master gave one servant five talents, another two talents, and the third only one talent. After returning from a long journey, the master called his servants to account. The five-talent servant and the two-talent servant both doubled their money through wise investing. And the master said, “Well done, good and faithful servants.”
But the one-talent servant said, “I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow. I was afraid and hid your talent in the ground. And here it is.” But the master told the “one-talent” servant, “You wicked and slothful servant. You ought to have at least invested it with the bankers.”
Do we think of God as a “hard man” and allow our fear of failure and resulting judgment to keep us from using our talents? Now let me say this again: God loves us so much that He’s promised to take care of the effect of our investments.
We don’t have to succeed because the result is up to God. We just try, to risk, to take that step of faith. A second chance is an opportunity to trust God again.