“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me!” Psalms 51:10 KJV
Each new year brings commitments to take better care of our physical bodies, but this year has me yearning for a stronger and more vibrant spiritual health. The intense challenges of last year had me leaning on God more than ever before. My foundation in Jesus is firm, but doubts, fears and uncertainty tried to shake it up.
We already have the most important piece we need to be spiritually renewed. Jesus promised it in the gift of the Holy Spirit in John 14- He would “teach you all things” and “be with you forever.” (vv26,14 NIV)
Spiritual renewal is a lifetime of real transformation in our lives- dependent on God but requiring efforts on our parts working in tandem with Him.
Our cooperation in this process comes through heartfelt Bible study, prayer, worship, and service (for starters. 😊) It’s meant to be a daily commitment to conform us to be more Christ-like.
We want to grow daily; we know a strong faith brings us peace, comfort, trust and strength to carry out His plans. But somedays I feel like there are so many moving parts- I just can’t put them all together.
Have you ever tried to learn golf? The image of what it takes to hit the ball perfectly describes my spiritual renewal. Feet shoulder length apart- knees slightly bent-eyes on the ball- arm straight- wrist bent- body weight shift- etc.
If you do all these things in the correct manner, the ball goes straight and far. And we know that doesn’t happen each time.
Likewise, it’s hard to be “Christ-like” in all we do- just as we improve one aspect, another goes off course.
We know that spiritual renewal brings us closer to God. He’s the one who stirs our hearts and opens our eyes to what He can do in us and through us. But it is not just about accomplishing tasks. God doesn’t want us to just tick off boxes or complete chores.
Spiritual renewal begins with our relationship with Him. He wants us to study His Word so we can understand who He is.
God wants us to communicate with Him in prayer so we can freely pour out our innermost thoughts to Him. He wants us to be so in love with Him that our worship flows freely.
Don’t be afraid to refresh the process- God will meet you where you are right now. He wants to help you grow in your faith and become stronger and wiser.
A rich and spiritually renewed life gives us the perfect peace that only He can give. And that’s what I want going into the new year!
How different would your life look if every morning you earnestly prayed for God to help you renew your walk with Him?
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me!” Psalms 51:10 (KJV)
Would you like some help to jump-start the process? Here is a free spiritual assessment quiz for you! Use honest self-reflection and assign a number from 1-10, with 10 being excellent to each statement.
Blessings on your New Year! AnnMarie
Read more from our New Beginnings Series! You can also find many other encouraging articles and helpful spiritual tips on our website, like this Happy Birthday prayers for loved ones.
AnnMarie provides hope and encouragement through God’s Word. Be sure to visit her over at Busy Blessed Women!
