When God gives you a second chance at life, who among you would say “no”? Who doesn’t believe in miracles? Well, there are those who don’t believe in miracles, who think they’re anachronistic. But miracles still exist today, and they can help us see God in the most unexpected places.
I was given a second chance at life not long ago. It’s not that my initial attempt at this whole life thing failed — it just wasn’t what I wanted.
Even while everything appeared to be going well on the outside (I lived in California and worked for an incredible international corporation), there was something missing on the inside: fulfillment.
That’s why, rather than seeing my vehicle accident as a setback, I saw it as an opportunity to live my life differently – which I did.
Does God give second chances in life?
According to the Bible, God has given us chances to select our path. Each day, we can choose to follow God and trust in His plan for our lives, or we can reject Him and go our own way.
God does not compel anyone to love Him. He gives people the freedom to make their own decisions about Him and their life. He doesn’t want robots or puppets; instead, He wants people who love Him because they want to, not because they’re compelled to.
When we make poor decisions or reject God, He provides us with time and opportunity to repent before it is too late.
In this way, He provides us with numerous second opportunities while we are still alive on this planet.
Though the phrase “second opportunity” does not appear in the Bible, it is frequently demonstrated through examples of God’s kindness and mercy.
The narrative of the Prodigal Son is one of the finest illustrations of a second opportunity (Luke 15:11-32). This young man took his inheritance from his father and spent it all on wild living. When things became difficult, he returned home only to be greeted warmly.
Stories of God giving second chances
We are all sinners who fall short of God’s glory. We aren’t without flaws. God, on the other hand, promises to forgive us when we confess our faults. There is no limit to how many times we can be forgiven and graced by God!
The Bible is replete with accounts of people who sinned but were given second opportunities by God. Here are a few examples:
Abraham at the hands of Pharaoh.
God called Abram (later named Abraham) to be the father of a great nation. This was an awesome responsibility, but Abraham doubted God’s promise. When famine came to his land, he went to Egypt for food instead of trusting God to provide for him.
In Egypt, he told Pharaoh that Sarah was his sister instead of his wife so Pharaoh wouldn’t kill him (Genesis 12:10-20). But Sarah was taken into Pharaoh’s harem anyway, and Abraham was put in jeopardy.
So God sent plagues on Pharaoh’s household until he sent both Abraham and Sarah away with gifts (Genesis 12:15-20).
Saul’s Second Chance on His Way to Damascus
The Bible is full of stories of God giving second chances to people who had done wrong. One of my favorites is the story of Saul. He was a successful leader, but he disobeyed God and got so far from His will that God gave him up to himself. Because he chose to follow his desires instead of God, Saul ultimately became depressed and suicidal.
Then Jesus met him on the road to Damascus and called him back into a relationship with Him. Jesus didn’t leave Saul in his sin, but called him out of it, restoring him to a full relationship with God again and using him as a missionary for His cause.
The Prodigal Son
The story of a selfish man who gets his inheritance early spends it all and returns home after hitting rock bottom. His father welcomes him back with open arms, forgiving the son’s sins. Full story here
David and Bathsheba.
King David sends a man to war so he can sleep with his wife Bathsheba and impregnate her. When she tells him she’s pregnant, he has her husband killed in battle. Despite his sins, God still forgave David and called him “a man after my own heart.”
The thief on the cross.
One of the two thieves crucified alongside Jesus asked for forgiveness and eternal life even as he was dying next to Jesus on the cross. Jesus told him he would spend eternity in paradise with him that very day.
When God gives you a second chance at life
When God gives you a second chance at life, who among you would say “no”? Who doesn’t believe in miracles? Well, there are those who don’t believe in miracles, who think they’re anachronistic. But miracles still exist today, and they can help us see God in the most unexpected places.
Can God give me a second chance?
The answer is yes. No matter how bad things may have been, God offers us all a fresh start through His Son, Jesus Christ. He wants to take away the guilt and shame of the past and show you how to live in His freedom and joy.
When it comes to our relationship with God, there are no “do overs” or second chances, but there are new beginnings. In the Gospel accounts we see that Jesus came to give us life in abundance (John 10:10), which is a quality of life and not just quantity.
But how can we have this abundant life? The key is found in John 3:3: “Jesus replied, ‘Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.’” We need a new beginning because our old self is corrupted by sin and incapable of pleasing God (Romans 3:23). God does not change His mind about giving second chances; He changes our hearts so that we might be able to serve Him anew and experience His love for
Know that it was God who gave you this second chance
It is a gift to be given a second chance. We can easily feel disheartened, angry, and locked in a loop of negativity when we’re focused with the mistakes we’ve made or the accomplishments we haven’t reached. We are undeserving of anything. God lavishes kindness and grace on us.
Because He is bound to us, God does not offer us a second opportunity. He offers us a second chance because he wants to redeem us, not only for our own sake, but also so that we can help others.
Don’t take your second chance for granted
Do you have any idea how much it cost to save you? You would have gone to Hell if it hadn’t been for Jesus. Not only that, but even if you had never done anything wrong in your life, you would have ended up in Hell due to your soul’s flaws.
So, how much did you have to pay to be forgiven and saved? On the cross, it cost Jesus His life.
According to the Bible, He became sin for us so that we may become righteous in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). He took away our sins and gave us His righteousness by dying on the cross and spilling His blood.
Don’t waste your second chance at life
Don’t wasting your second chance by ignoring it or being ungrateful for it. God is a caring God who is concerned about your well-being. He wants to bless you by giving you a second chance.
When you’ve reached the end of your rope and don’t know where else to turn, go to your Father and ask for aid. He will meet you where you are and embrace you in His loving arms. He will pick up the shattered parts of your life and repair them with His love.
When God gives you a second chance at life, don’t waste it since our lives are like vapor that appears for a brief moment and then departs. We must count our days in order to develop a wise heart (Psalm 90:12).
There are many ways you can waste your second chance at life. If you don’t want to squander the precious opportunity that God has given you, here are a few things to avoid:
- Don’t waste your time on people who don’t appreciate it.
- Don’t waste your time thinking about what could have been.
- Don’t waste your time on negative thoughts.
- Don’t waste too much time on social media.
- Don’t waste your second chance on the same mistakes that took your first chance away from you.
- Don’t waste your second chance by blaming other people for the difficulties in your life.
When God gives you a second chance at life, use it wisely!
Everyone gets a second chance at life, but most people don’t know that. I was one of those people. I thought that my first chance is all I get. When it came to an end, I had to start over.
Most people think that you only get one chance at life, but that’s not true. You may have to take time out for a job to be able to pay your bills, or you may have to go back home to your parents until you are able to get on your feet.
Final Words
But really, don’t waste. if you’ve been through it, you know that there are no guarantees when it comes to too many things in life. Take care of yourself and make sure you are living your life with a purpose, rather than just going through the motions everyday. Take advantage of your second chance at life because there’s no telling how long it will last.
