From the writings of the Rev. Billy Graham

Whatever has happened in life so far—both good and bad—cannot be altered, and all the decisions and events that have made us what we are today are indelibly inscribed in the story of our lives.

But hope for better days is attainable. How? By looking to the Lord. The future doesn’t need to be a copy of our past, nor does God want it to be. No matter what your life has been like so far, God wants to put our feet on a new path, a better path—His path. And regardless of what we may think, His path promises joy, peace, and purpose—far beyond anything we could imagine.

We all go through life building. We build upon learning and experiences, and just as a careful builder lays a solid foundation before constructing a building, so God’s Word gives us a solid foundation for building our spiritual lives. The Bible says, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11, NIV).

The first pillar of turning life around is to recognize our sin and repent of it, asking God to forgive us and save our souls. Through His sacrifice on the cross, sin was conquered. Jesus’ death and resurrection is the foundation of our hope, the promise of our triumph.

We must make it our goal to build strong foundations for life—foundations constructed from prayer and the truths of God’s Word. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

(This column is based on the words and writings of the late Rev. Billy Graham.)

Ask God to forgive your sins and follow Him. Pray now.