Tag: Proverbs 3:5-8

Reflecting on 2025 Before Launching 2026

Walking in my neighborhood, I spied several families already taking down lights and removing lawn decorations. At home, pine needles shedding from my Christmas tree announce the final days of the “most wonderful time of the year.” The holiday season is coming to a close, but regular life hasn’t kicked back into gear yet for some of us. It’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on the past twelve months in preparation for the year ahead. Will you consider joining me in pondering the three questions below before you get swept into the current of 2026?

  1. What shaped your character, faith, and worldview?

I try to be intentional about what I allow into my mind since the things we read, watch, listen to, and experience all affect our mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational health. Here are few inputs that have shaped me positively in 2025:

Bible in a Year:  I always made excuses for not committing to reading the Bible in a year, but in 2025 I gave it a try using a chronological reading plan on the YouVersion app. Instead of going through a devotional book, I started reading Scripture daily on my phone while eating breakfast.  I’d be lying if I didn’t confess a few sections were a bit of a slog, but overall, the experience enhanced my understanding of the Bible’s cohesiveness. Reading it chronologically also brought depth and context to the specific books I studied with groups during the year (Revelation and Matthew).  I benefitted from  my daily reading so much, I’m doing it again in 2026. Want to join me? Studies show that reading the Bible four times or more each week is a key indicator of life transformation.1 Let me know if you’re giving it a try.

Studying Revelation: I’ve always shied away from the last book of the Bible but when my women’s Bible study at church chose Jen Wilkin’s Revelation workbook, I dove in headfirst. Writing blogs about this apocalyptic book for ten weeks felt like being back in college. Despite the challenge, I realized that I’ve been missing out on understanding the whole story of Scripture by avoiding Revelation. With a reliable teacher guiding me and the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, even the most intimidating book of the Bible became not only accessible, but inspiring.

Books: A few years ago, a friend gave me Name Above All Names by Alastair Begg and Sinclair Ferguson. Finally making time to read it this year, I see it as a new classic. Examining seven key qualities of Jesus’ identity and ministry helped me to have a clearer picture of who He is and all He has done for us. I also re-read an old classic: Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. So many familiar examples we use to explain our faith find their roots in Lewis’ writing. Classic books and older authors sometimes don’t grab our attention the way popular or current ones do, but many newer books just re-package great writers’  ideas. Will you consider reading or listening to at least one classic book this year that will expand your knowledge about the Lord or some aspect of your faith journey?

Practical Podcasts: Among the many I listened to, one that consistently expanded my knowledge and spurred on my faith was Susie Larson Live. Susie’s knowledge of Scripture and desire to bring health and wholeness to her listeners’ minds, bodies, and spirits provide meaningful content and clear action steps.

Now, that you’ve read my answers, consider what shaped your character and worldview this year for better or for worse. What will you add or eliminate for 2026 so that the world shapes you less and the Holy Spirit shapes you more?

2) Where did you see God at work? How did you grow personally and/or spiritually?

In-Person Discipleship: Studying the Bible with small groups of high school girls regularly and mentoring a few college girls one on one showed me the power of consistent connection. Asking the Spirit to use the gifts, wisdom, and knowledge He’s given me has led to relationships that have blessed me beyond measure. I’ve seen that growth happens little by little studying God’s Word together. As relationships deepen, trust grows, and life transformation occurs for everyone involved.

If you’re a mature believer, will you pray and invite the Lord to use you to walk alongside someone younger in faith this year? And if you’re new to faith or just checking things out, will you ask the Lord to lead you to a spiritually mature person who can help you learn and grow?

Stillness and Silence: I am a person of action, but the Lord has reminded me that I need to slow myself to His pace instead of demanding that He move at mine (which is usually faster and involves less patience.) Through slowing down over the holiday season and practicing silence and stillness daily, I experienced some profound moments with the Lord. In one instance, He convicted me of sin, in another He reminded me to seek Him for comfort about a situation I was grieving. During another time of stillness He reminded me that even good things like family and friends can become idols that take His rightful place on the throne of my life. Had I been rushing through the holiday season and using busyness to avoid confronting pain, I would have missed hearing from the Lord.

Fasting: Studying the Gospel of Matthew recently, I was struck by a statement Jesus makes in the Sermon on the Mount: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do…put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting.” (5:16a, 17, 18a) Jesus assumes that His followers fast regularly, and although I’ve practiced it from time to time, this has never been a regular discipline for me. So, in the past few months, I’ve given it a try. Fasting has been a physical way to direct my energy (and angst) when I’m praying for something that feels beyond me. I’m still learning, but it’s been a surprisingly positive experience thus far.

Now, how did you grow personally and/or spiritually in the past year?

3) Where will you focus your energy in 2026?

I want to be used by God to bless others, make disciples, expand His kingdom, and bring Him glory. I want to trust God with the unknowns that lie ahead. I pray the Lord will expand my capacity to receive His Spirit and that He will use my time, resources, and gifts to pour into others and point them toward Him. This year I hope to grow in my understanding of God’s grace and to recognize I am never above needing it. I also hope to re-route some of my unhealthy thought patterns by asking the Lord to help me take my thoughts captive (2 Cor 10:5) and renew my mind (Romans 12:1-2).

Before launching into 2026, take some time to ponder where you’ve been. Reflecting on the past helps us to be more intentional about the future. “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. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8, NIV) Happy New Year!

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  1. “Bible Engagement and ‘The Power of 4’: A Key to Spiritual Growth”, Center for Bible Engagement  

A Hard Heart

The showdown between Moses and Pharaoh in Exodus 7-10 displays the Lord’s power as He sends nine different plagues to Egypt, one at a time. Scripture tells us that even as Pharaoh’s people suffer through water turning to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, the death of livestock, boils, hail, locusts, and 3 days of utter darkness, his heart remains hard. Maybe you’ve known someone with a hard heart, or, maybe you’ve gone through seasons of having one yourself. It’s discouraging seeing it in others and not something we want to drift towards in ourselves. So, understanding the causes and solutions for a hardened heart will help us safeguard ourselves and guide us in how to pray for others.

First, let’s clarify the broad biblical meaning of the word “heart.” “The Bible considers the heart to be the hub of human personality, producing the things we would ordinarily ascribe to the ‘mind’… Also, Jesus tells us that the heart is a repository for good and evil and that what comes out of our mouth – good or bad – begins in the heart: ‘A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.’”1 (Luke 6:45, NIV)

No one is immune from developing a hard heart. Even Jesus’ disciples experienced this at times. When Jesus overhears them bickering about not having enough bread for their journey, He says: 

“Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

“Twelve,” they replied.

“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?”

They answered, “Seven.”

 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

Mark 8:17-21, NIV

Jesus identifies the characteristics of a hard heart as an inability to see, understand, hear, and remember the hand of God at work in our lives. Do you ever lament current circumstances or worry about future ones without remembering how God has provided for you in the past? I do. When we forget to look back at God’s faithfulness or fail to have gratitude, we’re more prone to having feelings of entitlement or resentment when life doesn’t proceed as anticipated. Sometimes our hearts harden when our comfort feels threatened or we don’t get what we think we “deserve.” When we act like God owes us something, we’re overlooking our pitiful state and the Lord’s incredible grace: “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-4, NIV)

Similar to lacking gratitude, unconfessed sin also leads to a hardened heart: “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” (1 John 1:8-10, NIV) Ignoring sin causes us to lose our sensitivity to wrongdoing and dulls the conviction of the Holy Spirit. It’s a bit like developing thick callouses on bare feet: We feel the pain of sin less as our hearts harden more. Consider David’s words to the Lord when he finally confesses and repents after committing adultery with Bathsheba: “My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17, NIV) David’s heart had to be broken over his sin before he could admit it, turn away from it, and be restored to a right relationship with the Lord.  To prevent our hearts from hardening, we need to be intentional about not letting sin build up in our lives. As we consistently confess and turn away from sin, our hearts remain soft and malleable toward the leading of the Lord.

Pride is another factor leading to a hardened heart. “The root of Pharaoh’s hard-heartedness was his pride and arrogance. Even in the face of tremendous proofs and witnessing God’s powerful hand at work, Pharaoh’s hardened heart caused him to deny the sovereignty of the one, true God.”2 Pride causes us to rely on our own wisdom but Scripture tells us: “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. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” (Proverbs 3:5-8, NIV)

Neglecting time with the Lord also contributes to a hardened heart because we remain soft and teachable as we seek Him. David provides a pattern for prayer we can follow daily: “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-4, NIV) Studying the Bible consistently also keeps our hearts tethered to the Lord: “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:10-11, NIV)

In addition to prioritizing time with the Lord, connecting with other followers of Jesus is vital for accountability. Fellow believers help us to recognize attitudes or behaviors that are dulling our sensitivity to sin or causing us to grow complacent: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” (Proverbs 27:17, NIV) Gathering to worship and study Scripture with other believers also fortifies our faith and keeps us from drifting into apathy or hard heartedness: “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25, NIV)

Paul’s prayer in Ephesians provides an inspiring example of how to pray for others and ourselves: “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” (Ephesians 3:18, NIV)

Click here to enjoy a worship moment Kristian Stanfill’s “My Heart is Yours.”

  1. Quoted from “What are the causes and solutions for a hardened heart?” www.gotquestions.org 

2. ibid

Post inspired by Jen Wilkin’s God of Deliverance: A Study of Exodus 1-18, Lifeway Press, 2021.

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