It’s that time of year! The days are getting shorter and colder, causing many of us to reflect on our goals. Before you begin planning your 2026 vision board, I want to encourage you to lock in now! We don’t have to wait until January 1st to become intentional. A winter arc is just what you need to finish the year off strong. (And if you’re new to this journey, I explain it in this post here.) While most people focus on physical or wellness goals, let’s not forget about our spiritual health. If you desire to grow your relationship with God, these Christian habits to usher in your winter arc are just what you need!
Read Me Next! – What Is A Winter Arc And Should You Have One?
Read & Study Your Bible
The Word of God is the voice of God and the embodiment of Christ. To know God is to know His Word. From Genesis to Revelation, God reveals His nature, His character, and His gift of redemption and salvation. Jesus is on every page, calling you to Himself. So don’t just read the Word, study the Word, and see how your life changes!
Pray Without Ceasing
What a privilege it is that we can have open communication with our HOLY GOD! In the morning, when you wake up, pray. During your morning commute, pray. As you wash the dishes, pray. Prayer is intimacy with God. Anytime, anywhere, we can call on the name of our Father or intercede for our families, communities, and the world. Go into your secret place (Matthew 6:6), whether your closet, your room, or a chair in your favorite corner. Seek the Lord with humility and purity in your heart. Emulate Christ by continuously having fellowship with God.
Saturate Your Home
Fill your home with the presence and peace of God. Saturate your home with prayers and worship. Allow it to be a dwelling place for holy gatherings and fellowship. Permeate the atmosphere with sounds of worship and praise, and decorate your walls with Scripture. Be mindful of the activities and media you allow in your home. Sanctify your space.
Incorporate Fasting
Fasting is an invitation for us to draw closer to God. When you deny and crucify your flesh, you strengthen your spirit. Further, you become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Fasting is not a hunger strike, but a holy practice coupled with intentional prayer and worship.
Scriptures To Study On Fasting
‘ “Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.’
‘Even now — this is the Lord ’s declaration — turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, weeping, and mourning. ‘
‘As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off. ‘
Repent
Repentance sounds like a scary word for many. But it is simply making a conscious decision to turn the other way. Instead of taking the path of darkness, take the path of light. Rather than traveling on the wide road, travel on the narrow road. I love it when my pastor uses the phrase “ring out your heart.” The imagery of a wet, heavy, and dirty rag always comes to mind. And once that rag is rung, the heavy water runs out, leaving the rag light and moveable. It can flow again and be useful. Like that rag, we are useful in the Kingdom of God when we are no longer bound and weighed down by sin. Daily, we should be confronting ourselves with anything that is unlike Christ, whether it be lust, greed, or unforgiveness. That is how we walk in freedom.
Engage In Community
Spend time with other brothers and sisters in Christ. One of my favorite Bible verses is Proverbs 27:17. ‘Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another. ‘ Being in community with other Believers helps us to grow in faith, humility, accountability, and even worship. The goal of the Christian is to be transformed into the image of Christ, and we must not do that in isolation. Also, the Bible explicitly tells us not to forsake the gathering in Hebrews 10-24-25. ‘And let us consider one another in order to provoke love and good works, not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching. ‘ For the gathering of the saints encourages and provokes love and good works.
Give & Serve
As Disciples of Christ, we are to be the hands and feet of Jesus. We should live our lives with generosity in mind. Like Christ, we are called to serve, not to be served. So be generous with your time, be generous with your money, and even be generous with the knowledge you obtain.
‘ “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ‘
The Goal Is Christ
The goal is always Christ. To be more like Him. To walk like He walked, talk like He talked, live like He lived! Our desire should be for our hearts to overflow with the nature of Christ. May our lives truly reflect His light and presence here on earth.
With Love,
Tamara
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References:
Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.
