We’re now well into the new year and you’ve probably already set your New Year’s resolutions for 2024. (Hopefully you are still going after them!) Even if you haven’t made any resolutions, hopefully you’ve thought about ways you can grow in your faith this year as you work on your relationship with Jesus.
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Truth be told, any time of the year is a great time to grow in your faith and enhance your relationship with Jesus! If you’re looking to spend more time with the Lord and focus on your faith, here are some practical ways to do so.
Identify Personal Spiritual Goals
The first step to growing your faith is to identify what your goals are. Do you want to read the Bible more often, or read an inspiring book you’ve never read before? Do you want to spend more time in prayer? Or perhaps you want to find or build deeper relationships in a local faith community.
It’s important to identify your goals first so you know what you want to achieve, and then plan for how you’re going to achieve them. Take some time to pray about this and see what’s missing in your spiritual life. Gain a firm understanding of what you want to work on and where God is asking you to grow.
Need ideas? Check out our ways to make Christ-centered resolutions.
Create a Spiritual Growth Plan
Now that we have goals, we can make a plan!
In the Great American Pure Flix Original movie “The Abigail Mysteries,” the main character Abby hasn’t prayed to God in a long time. She restarts with a small prayer, asking God to be with her and show her what He wants her to do. As she continues to identify how she wants to grow spiritually, she seeks God’s wisdom and her Poppa’s help in planning how to grow her faith in a way that fits her needs.
Find a friend and talk with them about your goals and practical ways to go about reaching them. Or take time to write down your thoughts. And be sure to ask God for guidance in creating your plan.
Read Also: 15 Ways to Put God First in the Modern World
If you want to read the Bible more, find a reading plan that works for you … or join a Bible study! Want to get more involved in your faith community? Serve by singing worship music or volunteering with another ministry that is meaningful for you. Whatever your goals are, you can find actionable ways to achieve them.
Have an Accountability Partner For Your Goals
One way you can strengthen your commitment to your plan is by having an accountability partner.
In the Great American Pure Flix exclusive movie “Sun Moon,” Kelsey’s sister continuously checks in on her and encourages her to get back to her faith. She is at the ready to help Kelsey work on her relationship with God, even when Kelsey isn’t! She’s a great example of an accountability partner who isn’t afraid to tell the truth in love, and to correct her sister when needed.
Find someone you love and trust and ask that person to be your accountability partner. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you find the right person. It should be someone who isn’t afraid to show you a little tough love and help you course-correct when needed.
Worship As a Lifestyle and Spend Time with God Daily
One thing we can do to stay focused is by making sure our faith is a part of our daily lives. Our relationship with God isn’t just about showing up to church on Sundays. God desires a relationship with us daily.
In the Original series “Going Home,” hospice nurse Charley talks to God every evening after work. She even incorporates prayer into her work life by praying before entering a patient’s room. Her main goal is to spread God’s love through her actions and words, with everything she does pointing back to Him.
How would this look in your life? It could be scheduling time every day to read God’s Word, or committing to praying on the way to work. Remember: growing your faith is a daily commitment.
Read Also: 5 Powerful Prayers for Heart and Life Transformation
Build Relationships with Other Believers
Another way to grow in your faith this year is by building stronger relationships with other like-minded Christians. Maybe you have people in your church you’d like to get to know better. Or perhaps you’re in need of a few friends who you can talk to about your faith journey and hold you accountable during hard times.
In the Original movie “Divine Influencer,” Olivia Golden grew up in a Christian household, but she currently surrounds herself with other social media influencers and fashion icons. Because her relationships have shifted, her relationship with Jesus has taken a backseat. It isn’t until she starts building relationships with coworkers at the rescue mission who are faith-focused that she starts connecting with God again.
It’s okay to have friends who don’t always see eye-to-eye with your beliefs, but you also need relationships with people who know and understand your faith so that they can walk with you.
It’s important to grow your faith—whether at the start of the new year or anytime God is calling you to strengthen your relationship with Him. Want more inspiration? Sign up for the Great American Pure Flix Insider email newsletter.
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