Greetings on the first day of 2026. It is my prayer that this post finds you well today as we enter a new calendar year!
Here at Everyday Theology, we have been shuffling around for some time for a relaunch and we believe 2026 will be a significant step forward in what we do.
This post today, however, is more personal in nature, regarding resolutions and entering a new calendar year. I’ve spent a brief amount of time in the last week thinking on the previous year and all that took place in it. With each of the moments or events, I can’t help but consider things I would have changed or ways that my involvement could have been improved. At first,
Below, while I don’t intend on giving any of the specifics on the resolutions that I am setting for myself, I am going to spell out some of the categories of goals I am setting in the coming year. With each of these goals, my prayer is that the Lord will be glorified (1 Corinthians 10:31) and that the progress in my own actions will go toward Kingdom growth. My hope is that sharing these five categories will help each reader think about ways we can all glorify the Lord and grow the Kingdom!
Bible Intake
When it comes to time spent in God’s Word, I am not simply stating that the goal would be to read the bible more times throughout the year. Instead, as we seek God’s word to guide our lives (Psalm 119:105), the aim should be a higher quality of time spent in the bible. I’m afraid that so many Christians today will open the bible, read a couple chapters, and move on with their day. It is a significant thing to read in a way that causes the content to stick with us throughout the day. Scripture memory, though it doesn’t cover the mileage that conventional bible reading would, is a spiritual discipline worth pursuing.
In 2026, may we seek to immerse ourselves in God’s word.
Reading
While it is different from the time spent in God’s word, I think that it is highly valuable for the Christian person to be well-read. However, I think that it is valuable to not just center what we read on our primary vocation. In other words, if you’re a teacher, don’t just read about classroom management. If you’re in business, don’t just read leadership. Lean in to other genre, even fiction. Search the words of the books you consume for truths that are consistent with what the bible teaches. Contrast the ideas that don’t align and be critical of them. As we read, may we reflect on the character of God and His mighty works!
Physical Fitness
This section is particularly important to me turning the page into a new year. I am convinced that human beings are better off both mentally and physically when they place health (both how they use their body and what goes into it) higher on the priority list. We are able to serve our families, churches, and communities better and for longer when we take good care of the bodies that the Lord has given us.
Investment in Family
This category is specifically framed in my mind for me as a father but I recognize that not everyone is married. However, every person has a family in some sense of the word. The time that we spend with family provides one of the most significant opportunities for the building up of our faith or for discussion on the things of God. I have found that my conversations and moments with extended family often center on mundane things when these conversations could easily be transformational as we point one another to Jesus.
Local Church Engagement
Finally, my personal resolution in this area is quite targeted because of the role that I hold in the local church but I feel quite strongly that we should all try to engage in the church more this year. Find an area in need and serve well. Look at your community and decide how your church can serve those that are in it. The power of the local church should never be underestimated (Matthew 16:18) and our involvement in it is vital!
There are certainly more areas where we could set goals. However, as I reflected on the previous 365 days, these are the categories that came to mind most immediately.
With that, I’ll extend the invitation given in the late 19th century hymn, “I Am Resolved”:
I am resolved, and who will go with me?
Come, friends, without delay;
Taught by the bible, led by the Spirit,
We’ll walk the heavenly way
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