7 Things To Reflect On As We Begin 2026

1. God’s Faithfulness, Not Our Performance

“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)

Reflect on:

- Where the Lord sustained you despite weakness or failure

- How He provided when outcomes fell short of expectations

- Ways His mercy proved greater than your sin or limitations

This guards us from both pride in success and despair in failure.

2. The Condition of the Heart, Not Merely the Fruit

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

Ask honestly:

- What affections shaped my decisions this past year?

- Did fear of man, comfort, or control compete with fear of God?

- Was my obedience flowing from love for Christ or mere discipline?

External fruit can deceive; the heart never does before God.

3. Repentance Practiced or Postponed

“Search me, O God, and know my heart… and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24)

Reflect on:

- Sins confessed quickly vs. sins excused slowly

- Conflicts reconciled vs. relationships avoided

- Areas where repentance became a pattern, not an event

Delayed repentance hardens; practiced repentance softens.

4. Faithfulness Over Visibility

“Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.” (1 Corinthians 4:2)

Consider:

- Where God called you to quiet obedience rather than public affirmation

- Whether you measured success by faithfulness or recognition

- How you stewarded influence, time, and responsibility

God never evaluates by metrics the world celebrates.

5. Word-Shaped Life or World-Shaped Thinking

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.” (Romans 12:2)

Examine:

- What voices shaped your convictions this year

- Whether Scripture governed your thinking or merely supplemented it

- How often God’s Word corrected, confronted, or comforted you

Transformation always begins in the mind under God’s Word.

6. Love for the Church and Christ’s People

“By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35)

Reflect on:

- How you served the body, not just attended it

- Whether unity was pursued even at personal cost

- How you responded to difficult brethren with patience or pride

Love for Christ is inseparable from love for His people.

7. Hope Fixed on Eternity, Not the Coming Year

“Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:2)

Ask:

- What do I expect 2026 to give me?

- Where has my hope subtly shifted from Christ to circumstances?

- Am I living as one passing through or settling in?

A Christian plans wisely but hopes eternally.

Entering 2026 is not about reinvention, but ongoing reformation.

“Teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

May we enter the new year:

- More humble

- More repentant

- More anchored in truth

- More dependent on grace

- More eager for Christ’s return

Not asking, “What will this year bring?”

But rather, “Who must I be before God in this year?”