God’s GPS: Navigating New Routes When Do Overs Aren’t Possible

Kathryn Baker
Jun 23
3 min read

There’s a sobering truth that life, as we know it, offers no do overs. This understanding, revealed through both personal experience and the shared stories of others, is a pattern that reveals itself in times of reflection. You know, reflection—those times when we actually pause and consider: Where am I now, compared to where I thought I’d be? So many times, I listen as gifted and talented individuals—whether their strengths are academic, practical, or creative—share their feelings of being stuck, or their sense that their current reality isn’t a true reflection of who they are or all that they’re capable of.

The Desire for a Do Over

It’s a vulnerable place to admit there’s more to you than meets the eye, that there are dreams left unpursued, strengths untapped, and chapters unfinished. I have been there myself, in a season where I longed for what I like to call a “Do Over.” Not that I was completely dissatisfied with my present, but I was convinced there was more I could accomplish. Instead of allowing time to slip by while I reminisced on what “could have been,” I made a decision: I would begin again.

The Myth of Picking Up Where You Left Off

Well-meaning voices say, “Just pick up where you left off.” While the advice may be well-intentioned, the reality is that it’s not always possible. Time moves forward, circumstances change, and sometimes the opportunity as we once knew it has passed. The pages of our story turn, and the ink has dried on certain chapters. But here’s what I’ve learned—and what I want to encourage you with: Even if a particular season has ended, you can always begin again.

GPS Analogy

Let’s consider how a GPS works. When you get off course, it doesn’t instruct you to return to your original starting point. Instead, it recalculates, showing you another way to your destination from your current location. It doesn’t erase the journey you’ve already taken, nor does it dwell on the detour. The GPS simply offers the next step from where you are. It offers course correction, not rewind. Likewise, God’s guidance meets us in our present reality. Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV) says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it...” God specializes in new beginnings and fresh directions, no matter how far off course we feel.

New Beginnings

Scripture is full of encouragement for new starts. Lamentations 3:22-23 (NIV) reminds us, “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Every day brings the gift of new mercy—a fresh starting point, not to relive the past, but to move forward from where we are.

Philippians 3:13-14 (NIV) offers a powerful perspective: “…Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Paul didn’t try to rewind his life; instead, he pressed forward, knowing that God’s purpose was not confined to the past but ever unfolding in the present.

Begin Again

If you find yourself longing for a do over, I encourage you: Accept that the past season may be over, but a new beginning is available. Even if you’re pursuing the same dream or goal, see it as a fresh start. You are not the same person you were before; you have gained wisdom, experience, and resilience along the way.

Rather than longing to return to the original point, take stock of where you are now. Ask God for direction, wisdom, and courage to move forward from here. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) promises, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Conclusion

Life may not offer do overs, but it always offers new beginnings. Let go of regrets and missed opportunities. Embrace the mercies that are new every morning, and trust that God is able to guide you from your current position to the destination He has for you. Start again—not from where you once were, but from where you are, with all that you are now. The journey continues, and your story is far from over.

Scriptures to Reflect On: