Beginning the Year Grounded in God

It’s 2026, and what a gift it is to step into a brand-new year. Every new year feels like a fresh page, full of possibility, hope, and a little reflection. Many of us think about New Year’s resolutions: things we want to change, habits we want to build, or areas where we hope to grow.

In every church I’ve ever been part of, whether they talked about resolutions or not, there was one shared practice at the start of the year: fasting. Fasting is one of the spiritual disciplines that helps believers grow deeper in faith and dependence on God.

The beginning of the year is a beautiful time to either learn, or refresh, our spiritual disciplines. Through these practices, we experience renewed hope, maturity in faith, and real, personal transformation.

What Are Spiritual Disciplines?

Spiritual disciplines are the intentional practices we engage in to stay connected to God. They aren’t personality traits or attitudes, and they don’t define who we are. Simply put, spiritual disciplines are things we do—not to earn God’s love, but to abide with Jesus.

Much like New Year’s resolutions, spiritual disciplines are practices we commit to. When we engage in them, we invite the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts and our lives in powerful ways.

There are many spiritual disciplines, but today we’ll focus on three foundational ones: studying the Bible, prayer, and fasting.

Studying the Bible

If you want to grow closer to God, if you are truly seeking His face, reading the Bible is essential. The Bible is God’s Word, written for our benefit. It is inspired by God and reveals His character, His promises, and His power.

Across 66 books, written by more than 40 authors over thousands of years, God’s story unfolds and He invites us into it.

How to Get Started

• Start small. Begin with just a few verses a day. Focus on quality over quantity.

• Use tools. There are so many Bible apps, reading plans, and translations that can help make Scripture more understandable and accessible.

• Set an alarm. Choose a time of day that usually works for you and commit it to reading, even if it’s just a few minutes.

  
  

Consistent Prayer

Prayer is so much more than a list of requests or a quick confession of sins. When prayer is reduced to that, God can start to feel like a genie—or only a judge. But our Heavenly Father is far more than that.

Through the life of Jesus, we see God’s heart clearly: love, compassion, mercy, grace, and power. And the most amazing part? He wants to hear from you.

God knows us completely, and He desires to be known. He wants relationship, trust, and love. When we share our honest thoughts and feelings with Him and receive His unconditional love in return—true intimacy begins to grow.

Romans 12:12 reminds us:

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

How to Get Started

• Start small. Begin with 5–10 minutes. Over time, you may find it harder and harder to leave God’s presence.

• Use tools. Prayer journals, apps, or praying through Scripture like the Psalms can help organize your thoughts. I personally started rereading Psalm 23 daily, then moved on to others when they found words I didn’t have.

• Set a time. Schedule time with God and do your best to keep that appointment. As one of my favorite movies (The Matrix) says, “If we do not ever take time, we will never have time.”

  
  

Fasting

This is often the hardest discipline and understandably so. Biblical fasting is intentionally abstaining from food for the purpose of drawing closer to God.

As believers, we acknowledge that our flesh often works against God’s design. Our bodies are wired to seek comfort, pleasure, and ease. Scripture reminds us of this tension in Romans 8:12–13:

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

Denying the flesh is not easy. To follow Jesus is to accept discomfort at times, trusting that God works all things, even suffering and trials, for the good of those who love Him.

How to Get Started

• Start small. Try skipping one meal and using that time to read Scripture or pray instead. Over time, you can grow from one meal to a full day.

• Be specific. Fast with a purpose. Choose a specific area to pray into and focus your Scriptures and prayers there.

• Start again. If you slip up, that’s okay. Simply begin again. Our Father is gracious and forgiving; He is always ready to meet us where we are.

As we step into this new year, may we choose practices that draw us closer to God, not out of obligation, but out of love. Small, faithful steps can lead to deep and lasting transformation. You don’t have to be perfect, just keep showing up. God will do the rest.