A Prayerful Approach for Spiritual Growth in the New Year​

Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come…What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned, that I will do.
Isaiah 46:9-11 (NIV)

As we enter the year 2026, let us give thanks to the Lord for His countless mercies and His amazing grace. A new year brings a fresh beginning for each of us, an opportunity to reflect on the past and to make needed changes in areas where we can grow. It is also a time to examine our spiritual lives and to prayerfully plan for continued growth and progress in our walk with God.


We all recognize how essential planning is in meeting the basic necessities of life. Daily, we work to ensure that we have food on our tables, clothes to wear, and the financial means to meet our responsibilities. Yet an important question remains: do we take our spiritual needs just as seriously? Do we invest the same care, discipline, and intentional planning into nurturing our spiritual lives as we do into securing our material well-being?


This year, let us resolve to set aside time each week to plan, specifically to plan our prayer life, our devotional life, and our life of service. God’s Spirit often comes ready to build and transform, yet poor planning on our part leaves obstacles in His path. When we are unprepared, growth is hindered. Deliberate planning helps us become more intentional and effective in every area of life, including our spiritual lives.


The ultimate reason for intentional planning is rooted in the very nature of God Himself. Our God is a God who plans. According to His divine design, God created us in His image to live under His lordship as faithful and responsible stewards. Scripture does not present God as one who merely reacts to events; rather, He acts purposefully in accordance with His eternal counsel and wisdom (Isaiah 46:9–11). Because God works all things according to His plan, it is appropriate, and wise, for us to approach the most significant aspects of life with intentional and prayerful planning.


According to the Book of Proverbs, careful planning is an essential mark of wisdom and productivity. A failure to plan is portrayed as foolish and even dangerous. This is true despite the Proverbs’ clear teaching that we do not know what the future holds. As Scripture reminds us, “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (Proverbs 16:9). God’s sovereign control of the future does not eliminate the need for planning; rather, it calls us to commit our work to the Lord and trust Him to establish our plans according to His loving purposes.


As we begin this new year, let us commit ourselves to making time to plan for the most important things in our lives. Let us plan how we will spend meaningful time with our families to deepen and strengthen our relationships. Let us plan how we will get the exercise we need to remain healthy, and how we will ensure adequate sleep and rest. Let us even plan our vacations so that we may be physically and spiritually renewed. Most important of all, let us plan how we will center our lives on prayer and meditation on the Word of God. Without intentional planning, these vital priorities will inevitably be pushed aside by the pressures of what feels urgent.


Remember, when we take time to plan thoughtfully and meaningfully, God is pleased to use us in powerful ways for His purposes. Let us enter this new year prepared to live under His glorious guidance.


Wishing you all a wonderfully blessed New Year!


With love and prayers,
Rev. Christopher Phil Daniel
Vicar, Jerusalem Mar Thoma Church, CT