Renewing the Mind for a New Year
As we stand on the threshold of a new year, many of us feel a pull to make plans, set goals, and imagine what lies ahead. January invites reflection and resolve. Yet Scripture presses us to begin in a deeper place, not merely with what we want to do in the coming year, but with what is shaping our minds and hearts.
The book of Proverbs offers a sobering reminder: “As he thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)
In its original context, this proverb warns us that what resides in the heart, our inner thoughts, assumptions, and affections, inevitably works its way into our lives. We are not only shaped by what we do, but by what we dwell on. What captures our attention over time quietly forms our character.
Most of us have seen this play out in ordinary life. When worry dominates the mind, anxiety soon follows. When bitterness is rehearsed, relationships begin to fracture. When anger festers our mouths and bodies follow. When gratitude is practiced, joy quietly grows.
Over time, the thoughts we return to most often begin to set the direction of our lives. Scripture names this reality and gives it spiritual clarity. What we dwell on shapes who we are becoming. This is why God cares so deeply about the inner life of His people, not only what we do, but what we are allowing to take root in our minds and hearts. Scripture does not merely observe this reality. It uses it to direct our lives.
The apostle Paul writes: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)
Notice the contrast. Our minds are always being shaped, either conformed by the patterns of this world or renewed by the truth of God. Neutral ground does not exist. The question is not whether our thinking will be influenced, but by whom and by what.
As we enter 2026, this raises a simple but searching question. What voices will have the loudest place in our minds this year? News cycles, social media, constant comparison, and anxiety-driven speculation press in daily. Left unchecked, they quietly train us to think in ways shaped by fear, resentment, or self-reliance.
God offers something better.
Renewing the mind is not positive thinking or wishful imagining. It is the steady, ordinary practice of placing ourselves under God’s Word and allowing His truth to correct our instincts, reshape our desires, and reorient our hopes. Scripture teaches us not only what to think, but how to think. It trains us to see the world, our lives, and our future through the lens of God’s promises.
This is why regular worship, Scripture reading, prayer, and life together in the church are not optional extras in the Christian life. They are God’s appointed means for renewing the mind and forming a people able to discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
As a church family, let us step into this new year with intention. Not merely filling our calendars, but guarding and feeding our minds. If you look at the printed newsletter, you will find share Scripture reading plans to help guide us through God’s Word, and we have Family Reading Guides in the foyer to support households as they seek to grow together in faith.
May 2026 be a year marked by deeper attentiveness to God’s Word, greater clarity of faith, and lives increasingly shaped by the truth of the gospel. May the Lord renew our minds and, through that renewal, transform our lives.
2026 Family Bible Reading Guide
One of the most important habits your family can develop is a pattern for family devotions. It is foundational for developing a family of faith, centered around God’s Word. It's important for your whole family also!
The start of the new year is a chance to also start new habits. Why not start this year by encouraging your family worship? I created a guide for you to use this year - the 2026 Family Worship Guide. Pick up a set in the foyer this Sunday, take one for each person in your family.