Happy 2023! This is my first post of the new year, and I am super excited to share with you 5 healthy Christian habits that will help you draw closer to God in the new year!
Before we start, if you want to learn more about me and my mission, click here. You should also check out my 2022 in Review post!
And without further ado, here are 5 healthy Christian habits for you to practice in 2023!
1. Read the Bible
Okay, okay, I know you are probably rolling your eyes at me right now. Of course you should read the Bible, it’s the Word of God! That’s like, Christian 101. Well, my friends, I challenge you to read the Bible every single day.
Every morning in 2022, right when I would wake up and before I got out of bed, I would read the Bible! I was reading a Bible plan on the YouVersion Bible App that took me through the whole Bible in 1 year. That was the first time that I had ever read through the entire Bible and it was so impactful! I got to read about the creation of the world, how God protected his people the Israelites, the life of Jesus, and so, so much more!
Reading the Bible is such a great and encouraging way to start your day and I hope that you will start every day in 2023 with God’s Word!
2. Be thankful!
Personally, I think that unthankfulness is becoming very common in the US. We have so much extra stuff that we don’t even really need, along with just about everything that we do need, but for some reason are always wanting more, more, more. This year, I am making it my personal goal to complain less and to thank God more for the many blessings that I have! I encourage you you join me in this challenge.
In addition to giving thanks for the blessings that we have, we should give thanks through the trials too. I think, for many people, it is easy to give thanks when we have plenty and when everything is going how we want it to go, but as soon as things take a turn for the worse, we complain and stop giving thanks.
Give thanks through the trials, friends! I know how incredibly hard that can be, but we have to remember that trials are when God tests us and helps us to produce perseverance! In Philippians 4, Paul writes:
“12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
This year, let’s try to be like Paul. Let’s try to be content in any situation and to give thanks for all that God has given us!
3. Pray without ceasing
1 Thessalonians 5:17 says to “pray without ceasing”. In other words, never stop praying! God wants you to cast all of your cares, however big or small, on Him. So, tell God what is bothering you, what you are having trouble with, what mistakes you made, etc. He is always present and ready to listen!
I think that you will find that, in any and every situation, if you turn to God before turning to anything else, you will experience his joy and peace! And I don’t mean that you should just pray when things are going wrong. No, God wants to celebrate your victories with you, too! Make God the first one you tell when you get that big promotion, or when you get an A on your math test! This is where being thankful comes into play again!
So try it! Pray without ceasing!
4. Make God present in every decision
This year, I encourage you to not make decisions on your own. Whether it seems small and insignificant or major and scary, make God a part of it! Pray on it before you decide and see where God takes you.
Proverbs 3:5 says to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”
Honestly, the part that says to “lean not on your own understanding” stands out to me the most. So often when we make decisions, we think that we have the answer and know the right and perfect way of doing things. But remember, don’t depend on your own understanding and knowledge.
In any situation, when you are making a decision, pray to God and trust his divine wisdom and understanding. I really do think that decisions where God is present will grow and flourish into something amazing!
5. Fellowship with other believers
For those of you who know me personally, you may be surprised that I am writing this. I am a very introverted person who doesn’t really like to be around people very often. But here’s the thing, God did not make us to be alone!
In Genesis, after God made Adam, the very first human, He says “It is not good for the man to be alone.” (Genesis 2:18) Then, God made Eve to be with Adam. He wants us to join together with other believers and to encourage each other and draw closer to God together.
At my school, I recently joined the Christian club. We meet every Friday during lunch, and let me tell you: every time I attend the club, I feel this sense of peace, joy, and comfort. There is just something special about gathering together with other Christians who want to hear what you are going through and who will pray over you in the struggles and rejoice with you over your blessings.
I encourage you to join a small group at church, or attend a youth group, or even just pray with others in passing. It is what God wants us to do. Don’t go through 2023 alone!
What do you think?
I have got to say, I really felt the Spirit while I was writing this one! All of these words were not my own but God’s.
So, did you enjoy this post? I really do encourage you to apply these 5 things to your life this year and see how God works through them! I will be there right along with you, working on giving thanks, praying without ceasing, etc.
Also, do you have any ideas about what I should write about this year? Whether it is a very specific thing or a general idea, let me know by commenting on this post or by contacting me. I want to hear your input!
I am praying for all of you this year, that you will grow closer to God and trust that he has everything under control!
Don’t forget to shine bright and spread the light! Happy New Year!
PS: Do you have prayer requests? Send them to me here and I will be more than happy to pray for you!
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