3 Ways to Grow in Your Faith in 2024

Raise your hand if you thought “Okay, 2024 is my year to be intentional in my relationship with Jesus!” First of all, love that about you. Second of all, Jesus does too.

But, as it happens with New Year’s resolutions, come February/March time frame, our resolution routine starts to take a backseat. Sometimes, this makes us feel like we’ve failed, that God is disappointed in us, or that we’ll never reach that next level of intimacy with Jesus.

If that’s how you’ve been feeling, I’ve got the best news for you. His mercies aren’t new every year, they are new every MORNING! Do you know what that means? It means that each day is a clean slate, a new opportunity to draw near to the One who is consistently and unconditionally drawing near to you. No matter how many days of time with Jesus you’ve skipped thus far, it isn’t stopping Him from continuing to pursue your heart regardless. Just you reading this blog post is evidence that He’s pursuing you right now, this very second. And He’s not doing it madly, He’s doing it gladly!

Let that comfort your little heart for a second and sit with that reality - that there is nothing you can do to make Him love you more, and nothing you’ve ever done to make Him love you less.

Here’s another reality. The enemy knows how dangerously powerful you are when you do spend time with Jesus. He knows he can’t win for nothing when you soak yourself in the presence of God. So, the devil’s favorite trick in the book is to make you think that you now have to wait until next year to start over. The longer he can implant shame in your heart for “not keeping your resolution,” the better chance he has to keep you from seeking Jesus again. The fact that he’s that intimidated by what Christ can do through you is pretty darn cool, if you ask me!

The cross made a way for us to come to Jesus ANY time of the year, ANY time of day, no matter what you have done or how well you’ve kept your resolutions. Sometimes it just takes blog posts like this to remind us of how loved we are by God regardless, how His plan for our life is mightier than we realize, and how important it is to dive in head first as a disciple (or learner) of His.

Now that you’re rejuvenated and pumped, here are three simple steps to help you get back on the saddle and consistently grow in your faith this year:

Be in the Word

The way we grow in our relationship with our children, friends, spouse, and family is by spending time with them. Doing this allows you to be close with them, to know what makes them happy. The same goes with God! Spending time in prayer and reading God’s Word is the only way that we can know God’s heart accurately and intimately. His Word is a gift, and an easy access to discovering not only who He is, but who He wants you to be in Christ. Take heart though, this can and will look different for all of us. We are all at different levels in our walk with Jesus.

The goal here is not “how much can I cram in?” but instead, it’s “what can He do today to uproot things in me that don’t belong, and instill in me things that do?” This may include pulling out a devotional as an aid for you to read alongside your Bible (you know that I wrote one, right? You can read it by clicking here!)

Either way, the goal is to develop a healthy fear and love for the God of the universe. Don’t overcomplicate it! Keep it simple and achievable.

Be a part of a church

This is another simple step, yet one that has a huge impact. When you plug into a local, Bible believing church, you are instantly connected to a family. This is not only a place to hear the Word preached, but a place to be encouraged and to encourage those around you. While online church is great, in-person attendance is so much better! We are made for community, and plugging yourself into a church body is crucial.

Plus, not only do you need the church body, but the church body needs you! The gifts God has given you are meant to be used, and to pour into others for His glory.

Being actively involved in church also helps to keep us accountable spiritually. I don’t know about you, but it’s a blessing to have a few people that know me well check in on a semi-regular basis, just to see how I’m doing my day-to-day life.

These people lovingly challenge me to walk in alignment with God’s Word, encourage me when I’m struggling, and pour an abundance of wisdom into my life. If we want to grow, we need to be open and share our lives, struggles, joys – all of it – with a few trusted people in the church who are a few steps ahead of us spiritually, so we can actually see the areas we need to grow in and walk in conformity to God’s Word.

Make daily prayer a consistent habit.

Similar to being in God’s Word is prayer. If reading God’s Word is like inhaling, then prayer is like exhaling. Prayer is a conversation with God, a place where we can come to Him in reverence by presenting our requests to Him with thankfulness (Phil. 4:6), giving thanks (Ps. 107:1), and admitting that He is greater than us and His plans are better than ours (Luke. 22:42).

When we pray, we remember that He is in control and we are not. We remember that His way is perfect. We remember that He is a Father who wants to hear our hearts. Make specific time to pray with thanksgiving, confess your sin to God, present your requests to Him, and to intercede for others will help you remember your joyful dependence on Jesus. I’d venture to say that the more you do this, the more natural it will become!

These three simple ways are by no means exhaustive, but they do provide a good foundation for growth. If we neglect reading God’s Word, spending time in prayer, and being in a church community, we will be hard-pressed to grow. I’d encourage you to apply at least ONE of these steps for the next couple weeks, and simply see how the Lord moves in you! He promises to complete the work that He starts in His children (Phil. 1:6). Believe that fully, and watch Him shape you as you abide in Him!

In case you missed it, my devotional “Goodness Gracious: 90 Unfiltered Devotions for this Sometimes-Too-Serious Life” just hit the bookshelves!

It’s a fun, honest take on life’s situations — and its silliness. You will be encouraged to dust yourself off, throw open the shades, and let the joy of the Lord overflow from your heart and into the world. It is time to laugh, reflect, and be inspired by the refreshing authenticity of every word as you experience a renewal of your joy in Christ. Click the link below to order your own copy today!