Having your best year begins by putting God first and intentionally seeking His Kingdom in every area of your life. It is important to understand where you have been, honestly evaluate where you are, and prayerfully determine where God wants you to go. Spiritual growth must become a priority rather than something we pursue only when we have extra time. As we seek Jesus, obey His direction, and align our plans with His purposes, happiness becomes a by-product of a life centered on Him. Take time to dream, plan, and ask God how you can better prioritize your relationship with Him throughout the year. Consider what God is showing you today and respond to any conviction, challenge, or commitment He is calling you to make.
Keeping our priorities straight begins with putting God and His Kingdom first. The small disciplines and choices we make consistently will produce significant results over time in every area of our lives. Instead of depending on money, jobs, relationships, or other people to meet our needs, we should look to God as our ultimate provider. There comes a point when each of us must decide who or what will have first place in our lives. When we seek God’s Kingdom and choose to serve Him, everything else can begin to fall into its proper place. Get your priorities right, and you will be better prepared to live your life according to God’s purpose.
It’s easy to take credit for our success and forget that God is the One who gives us the ability to produce wealth. Hard work matters, but our talents, opportunities, jobs, and ability to succeed are ultimately blessings from Him. As we become more successful, we should never become less dependent on God or forget the people He used to help us along the way. Gratitude means giving God credit both privately and publicly while also thanking those who have invested in and supported us. Take time to remember the people who helped you get where you are and let them know you appreciate them. Never forget where your blessings come from, and continually give God the glory for what He has provided.
Everything we accumulate in this life will eventually be left behind, but we can use what God has given us to make an eternal difference. God calls us to be generous, rich in good works, and willing to share with those in need. When we invest our resources in furthering God’s Kingdom, we are storing up treasure that has eternal value. Our finances should not simply benefit ourselves and our families but should also be used to bless others and advance God’s work. Take time to examine how you are investing what God has entrusted to you. You can’t take your riches with you, but you can use them today to make an impact that lasts for eternity.
Our security and faith should always be rooted in Jesus, not in our finances or possessions. As wealth increases, it can become easy to depend on our own wisdom instead of seeking the wisdom that comes from God. Relationships are more valuable than riches, beginning with our relationship with God and extending to the people He has placed in our lives. Solomon understood the value of godly wisdom and chose it when God offered to give him what he desired. We should examine whether money or possessions have damaged relationships and ask God for wisdom to make things right. Put Jesus first, seek His wisdom, and choose relationships over riches.
God wants us to enjoy the blessings He has given us without allowing those blessings to take His place in our hearts. There is no need to feel guilty for having wealth, but our time, money, and generosity can reveal whether God truly comes first. Riches should never become more important than our relationship with God or the people He has placed in our lives. Giving, serving, and enjoying what God provides are all opportunities to honor Him with what we have. Wealth is a blessing when we recognize that everything ultimately comes from the hand of God. Be thankful for what He has provided, keep Him first, and enjoy His blessings with a grateful heart.
It can be difficult to truly know the condition of our hearts because our hearts can deceive us. One way to see what we truly value is to examine where we invest our money, time, and talents. Our spiritual fruit also reveals what is happening within us through our love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. God wants us to honestly examine our lives and identify the areas where we need to grow. Our influence should also help point others toward Jesus through the way we live, serve, and share our faith. Ask God to search your heart, strengthen the fruit of the Spirit in your life, and help you use your influence to lead others to Christ.
God is far more interested in your heart than your money or possessions. What we treasure often reveals what has captured our hearts, which is why Jesus challenged the rich young ruler to examine what mattered most to him. There is nothing wrong with having possessions, but there is a problem when our possessions begin to possess us. We cannot earn salvation through good works, generosity, or trying to be good enough—we need Jesus as our Savior. The condition of our hearts greatly affects the joy we experience and the way we follow God. Ask God to create a clean heart within you, restore the joy of your salvation, and help you surrender every area of your life to Him.
It’s easy to make excuses instead of fully committing to follow Jesus. Every excuse we allow can keep us from experiencing the peace, joy, and spiritual power God has for our lives. Following Jesus means choosing daily to honor Him at work, at home, in our relationships, and in everything we do. God calls us to stop looking back, put our hands to the plow, and live for His glory. Instead of simply talking about following Jesus, we should allow His power to be demonstrated through the way we live. Stop being an excuse maker and become a disciple-maker who faithfully follows Jesus wherever He leads.