4 Ways to Showcase Your Faith This Year - The Crosswalk Devotional - January 10

4 Ways to Showcase Your Faith This Year
By Aaron D’Anthony Brown

“Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts.” (Psalm 90:12)

“Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2)

The Old You and the New You
Every year, in preparation for the next year, we start making plans, spouting hopes, and establishing our so-called New Year’s resolutions. Most of these resolutions will fall by the wayside by the end of January, and sometime after that, they’ll be nearly forgotten. The same love that we generated for one another during the Christmas season doesn’t always follow us into the new year.

Why do we sometimes become someone new for a time, usually someone better, only for the same old us to creep back into the picture? Building ourselves into someone who is mature, healthier, smarter, and wiser takes much time and effort. Often, it seems like more effort and time than we’d like to put in. To begin a change like this, we’d have to admit there’s a need for change in the first place. For some, the prospect of change appears insurmountable, and others simply dread failure, so they do not even begin.

With Christ, we become someone new, someone better, and we can continue to become someone better with the Holy Spirit’s help. Scripture makes it clear that we are sinful, flawed, and in need of a Savior. And thankfully, Scripture also makes it clear that change is possible with Christ in our hearts.

With enough time, effort, and, most of all, relying on God, the old us can become a thing of the past. Addictive eating habits can make way for health, social media obsessions can dissolve into quality time with family, and so much more.

But the difference between the old us and the new us must be a desire for change rooted in Christ. When we change because of Christ our why for why we must change remains clear. When we change because of Christ, we can find a continuous source of motivation through God’s Word.

Intersecting Faith and Life:
There’s no denying that we have been “remarkably and wondrously” made, but with our sinful nature we are not born as perfect beings. Only Christ was born perfect, and not only was He born perfect, He lived a perfect life, and offered the perfect sacrifice to cover all the sins of those who believe. In an effort to become better, we have to strive to be more like Christ. Striving to be more like Christ requires intention in our hearts and full reliance on God.

In this new year, consider some ways the old you can make way for the new you. Here are 4 ways to showcase your faith next year.

1. Practice Introspection.
One way to set yourself apart from others and set your mind on the things of God is to practice introspection - a fancy word for self-reflection. Introspective people spend time thinking about why they do things, where, when, and for whom. They often think before they act, then take time to reflect on their actions and how others responded. It’s no surprise that introspective people tend to make decisions wisely and commit to goals.

With greater introspection, you’ll be able to better spot areas in need of change in your own life. You'll also have an easier time figuring out how to incorporate God’s Word into your life because you’ll think more about how His Word needs to be ever-present.

2. Be Thankful
An attitude of gratitude is hard to cultivate, but who doesn’t appreciate a grateful person? There’s a reason we spend so much time reminding children to offer thanks for the things they receive. Some adults probably need the reminders, too, but if we take the time to ensure we’re being grateful ourselves, those habits are bound to rub off on those around us. Imagine a community where everyone practices gratitude daily.

3. Practice Good Communication
The holidays offer us a time to call and see relatives or friends we don’t always make the time to see, but what if we made a more concerted effort to see them throughout the year? Sure, seeing a bunch of people within a given week is probably too much to handle, but the same number of people spread across an entire year is much more feasible.

All of our relationships prosper when we engage them with good communication. Seek to enrich your own relationships this year by conversing more often with distant relatives and those forgotten friendships. Talk more deeply about subjects you tend to avoid out of fear and listen more intently to what the other person is saying. Both of you will be glad you did.

4. Seek to Serve
People in need do not always ask for help. Sometimes pride holds them back, and sometimes they just don’t know that they can. While they should learn to step outside of their comfort zone, asking others how you can serve is a sure way to love others and grow in your faith. This is also a great way to foster deeper relationships. And if someone is unsure as to how you can serve, then spend time getting to know them and see if you can identify one way to help. Not too many people are willing to turn down a helping hand.

This year doesn’t have to be like last year. Our tomorrow does not have to be like today. Decide to make changes today and watch the new you grow as a result.

Further Reading:

Aaron D'Anthony Brown is a freelance writer, hip-hop dance teacher, and visual artist, living in Virginia. He currently contributes work to iBelieve, Crosswalk, and supports various clients through the platform Upwork. He's an outside-the-box thinker with a penchant for challenging the status quo. Check out his short story “Serenity.”