I had to start writing out a plan every January to ensure I didn’t end the
year in the same place, spiritually, as I was when the year started. Year
by year, we might not notice a lack of spiritual growth in our lives. But
you’d be surprised how quickly ten years can pass without having memorized
one verse of scripture, without confronting a habitual sin in your life,
without having shared the gospel with an unbeliever, without having
experienced a point in your walk with God that lit a fire under you and
caused you to live differently.
Instead of making “new year’s resolutions” each year, I sit down with God
and ask
“How will I grow more in love with you this year?” By being intentional
about setting goals to prioritize my relationship with God, I’ve found the
result is growing in my relationships with my family and friends, as well.
Setting some spiritual goals for the next year also helps me ensure that
there is fruit developing from my life each year instead of being a sponge
that continues to soak it all in, but gives little out.
Here are some examples of a few of the spiritual goals that I’ve set
through the years, many of which repeatedly stay on my list from year to
year. Try a couple of these, and maybe even come up with some of your own,
so that you are one year closer to Christ — and to those you love — by
the time next January rolls around:
1. Meet with God before anyone else. Do you have a plan, first thing in the
morning, to meet with God before anyone else? It’s one way of prioritizing
Him above anything and anyone. It’s also a way of making sure you’re at
your best, emotionally, by the time you start interacting with your family.
My devotional book, God’s Whispers to a Woman’s Heart, is designed to help
you meet with God for a few moments every day and get into the Word at the
same time.
Read Also:
2. Get into God’s Word every day. If you’ve owned a Bible for years but
have never read the entire book, this is a great time to start. There are
several good resources available to help you read through the Bible in a
year. Try it in a different translation than you usually read. Or, ask
yourself where you want to be in your relationship with the Lord by the end
of the year and then set tangible goals for getting there through study.
For instance, if you want to know God better, consider a study of his names
in the Old Testament and Jesus’ “I am” statements in the New Testament. If
you need to slow down and learn to listen for his voice, study all the Word
says about “rest” or “hearing” or his “voice.” If there are character
traits you know you need to work on, consider an in-depth study of some or
all of the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).
3. Participate in a weekly small-group Bible study or lead one among your
friends, neighbors, or co-workers. We can grow at a faster rate in
community because we are able to share our experiences with one another and
hold each other accountable. Find a small group study in your local church
or be the catalyst to start one among friends or neighbors or even
co-workers during your lunch hour.
4. Record your blessings and answered prayers. Keep a “blessing book” in
which you record every blessing that comes your way throughout the year,
adding a prayer of thanks or praise. In addition, write out your prayer
requests and record the answers as they come. By writing out these types of
things, you will not only be more keenly aware of how God is working in and
around your life, but you will become a person who is able to “give thanks
in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1
Thessalonians 5:18).
5. Pick a ‘theme verse’ for the year. Say it aloud every day. I guarantee
if you do this, by the end of the year – and probably a lot sooner – you
will have memorized one more verse of Scripture. Choose from Psalm 90:12,
Psalm 119:32, Psalm 119:133, Galatians 5:16, Philippians 1:27, Philippians
4:6-7, or find one of your own.
Make some of these action points priority in your life this next year and
hopefully, by the end of next December 2016, you’ll be not only another
year older in your body, but another year older in your faith with God.
You’re blessed as you walk with God through His Only Son, Jesus Christ,
Congratulations and Happy New year.
