What would you like for your life to be like one year from now? What about five years from today? Or 10? How about 20 years from now? What are the goals and ambitions that drive your life?
With a New Year unfolding, what are the dreams that have you putting pen to paper in the form of resolutions and objectives?
RELATED: Check out more articles on faith and culture from pastor Adam Dooley.
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Admittedly, not all our aspirations are pleasing to the Lord. Without a renewed mind, many of our daydreams quickly morph into selfish pursuits that dishonor God. So, if I could narrow the focus just a bit, how do you hope to become more like your Savior in the next 12 months?
In what ways will you seek to grow His Kingdom and serve His people? How do you hope the world will be a bit different because you are in it?
Certainly, we are in no position to presume tomorrow because, for some, it will not come (Luke 12:16–21). Nor should we seek to predict tomorrow because, despite our most informed calculations, not one of us knows what the future holds (James 4:14). Yet, wisdom still requires that we prepare for tomorrow in order to position ourselves for the Lord’s work and plan (James 4:15).
Practical guidance
As 2026 unfolds, the Apostle Paul offers the practical guidance we need to ready ourselves for whatever lies ahead. Desiring to know Christ, both in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship His sufferings, God’s servant opens his heart of resolve for us to see and emulate (Phil. 3:10). By doing so, Paul demonstrates the balance of living in the moment while also anticipating what comes next. Continued growth as a Christian without haughty presumption requires three core commitments.
First, realize that the present can be deceiving. With uncanny humility and raw transparency, Paul acknowledges that he is neither perfect nor entirely mature in his faith (Phil. 3:12a). Remarkably, one of history’s greatest Christians was under no illusion that he had the right to boast of his present growth or condition.
Though Paul had developed tremendously since his conversion, he laments, “I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet (Phil. 3:13a).” In other words, our commitment to Christ is ever evolving and, this side of heaven, always has room to deepen and expand.
Such an honest assessment is important because of our tendency to exaggerate our accomplishments and minimize our failures. Our descriptions of the “good old days” paint them much brighter than they really were. Likewise, our appraisal of the present often lacks accuracy due to our stubborn pride. Thus, Scripture repeatedly warns us of the danger of thinking too highly of ourselves (Rom. 12:3).
When is the last time you sat alone with an open Bible and prayerfully asked God how you are doing spiritually?
Can you identify your shortcomings? Do you allow compromised commitments to remain? Is your heart cold toward God? Are you guilty of simply going through the religious motions of Christianity?
With schedules that move at the speed of light, we seldom notice when our intimacy with God begins to wane. Our faith can easily devolve into performance mode because we tend to prize what people think of us more than what the Lord knows about us. If God’s missionary to the Gentiles had not arrived in his faith, it is safe to say that neither have we!
Second, refuse to let the past distract you. “One thing I do,” wrote Paul, “forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead (Phil. 3:13b).” With singular focus, he strategically released what came before in order to take hold of the future that was coming. Doing so is easier said than done. Unfortunately, the past often functions as an anchor to which we cling rather than a platform from which we launch. Both positive and negative experiences can keep us bound by what has already occurred.
Sometimes our past sin intimidates us. Before his declaration for the future, Paul admitted his great regret over his previous transgressions. As a persecutor of the church, he murdered others and blasphemed God due to the blindness of his heart (Phil. 3:6).
Perhaps you can relate. Is there a past sin that haunts you so much you cannot let it go? Maybe a previous act of adultery causes you shame? Maybe an exposed lie has left you embarrassed to show your face? Maybe an abortion long ago still haunts your soul? Maybe a failed commitment continues to overcome you with guilt?
Or could it be that past suffering scars you? Paul was all too familiar with the hardships of faithfully walking with the Lord, including beatings, crimes, poverty and the general burdens of life (2 Cor. 11:23–27). If anyone was vulnerable to bitterness or resentment toward others, it was God’s apostle.
Undoubtedly, there is pain in your rearview mirror that letting go of is difficult, too. If friends betray us, it stings. If a spouse deserts you, it is lifechanging. If death rears its ugly head unexpectedly, it breaks our hearts. Traumas like these can be tough to shake.
On the other extreme, our past successes can often disillusion us. Some carry the burden of their inability to measure up in the present to the glory of years gone by. Paul’s recollection of his previous accomplishments reminds us that former blessings can weigh us down just as much as preceding trials (Phil. 3:4-6). Was your past so fulfilling that everything you do now leaves you frustrated and lacking? Do you find it impossible to live up to your prior accolades?
‘Refusal to dwell on the past’
In all these instances, the key to our continued sanctification and growth is our refusal to dwell on the past. For some, turning the page to a new chapter of living will be the greatest victory in 2026. Learn from the past but refuse to live in it. Whatever you formerly counted as gain, consider it loss for the sake of Christ (Phil. 3:7).
Finally, let your progress in the Lord motivate you. “I press on,” Paul continued, “so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:12b).” The goal was to seize whatever God had seized him for! Understanding that the Lord has a particular intention for your life is a necessary step toward living according to His design. With eyes fixed on finishing well, we should labor with vigor and concentration for the upward call of God (Phil. 3:14). Living without regrets requires a holy ambition to realize God’s unique purpose for our lives.
We should channel every passion, skill, and opportunity for the glory of God. What natural abilities or impulses fulfill you? Is it encouraging the hurting? Crunching numbers? Building a business? Creating a peaceful home? Understanding and teaching difficult concepts?
The possibilities are endless, but every skill set is a tool to point others to Christ while also becoming more like Him. Use your personality and gifts as a means of spiritual growth and development. Socially, financially, professionally, recreationally and vocationally, the goal is the same — to look for and submit to God’s will for our lives.
Key disciplines
In addition, disciplines like prayer, Bible reading, sharing your faith, serving others and intentional generosity will surely transform your walk with the Lord. The small, seemingly mundane parts of life — details like how we use our time, how we treat other people, and what food we put into our bodies — will have an impact as well.
Foundational to all these commitments is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He is the doorway to trusting God, the way to acknowledge God, and the first step down the narrow road of walking with God. My prayer for you, and all in our community, is that you will experience God’s best in the coming year.
How will you reach for God in 2026?
How will your life be different one year from now?
In what ways will you be more like Christ? Here’s to taking hold of the future that God has for each of us!
EDITOR’S NOTE — Adam B. Dooley is pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, Tennessee, and author of “Hope When Life Unravels and Exalting Jesus in 1-2 Chronicles.”
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