Hope for the Anxious Heart This New Year - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - January 07, 2026
“This I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23 (ESV)
Even in the moment, my husband and I found a way to laugh. Perhaps it was a bit of heaven emerging from the unkept cracks and crannies of our hearts, preparing us for the next few days, because this was our luck - how things seemed to go for the Garland crew.
Right as the ball in New York City dropped, and my husband and I kissed each other a Happy New Year from our cozy couch, I noticed my one-year-old son, all snuggled in my arms, was running a fever. We spent the new year finding a minute clinic that was open and would see children.
By God’s grace, our little guy healed quickly, but this situation had me thinking, “Is this what the rest of our year will look like?” If I’m honest, this past year held some dear, sweet moments, even undeniable miracles from heaven, but this year still wore down my heart. Somehow, the hope and heaviness of the past twelve months tangled together, the first having a heavenly upper hand that ensured the latter didn’t consume me. (But am I still exhausted in all the ways? Absolutely.)
If you had a tough year and are nervous about what the new year will bring, I want to share two encouraging but straightforward thoughts:
You can prepare for tomorrow’s imperfect moments today.
There will be days when you mess up, when it’s not something like an accidental fender bender or a medical diagnosis outside your control. These are the days you will inevitably drop the ball, lose your temper, forget to pick up the kids, let unkind words slip, etc. You are human, so imperfect moments come with the turf of existing.
However, you can find ways to stay rooted to the truth that not only will you never be perfect, but your imperfection is instant access to God’s grace. As I often say, grace and perfection can’t coexist. You have to pick between the two. One leaves you drained as you clamor after an impossible standard. Another grants you the grace to try again and even forgive yourself when you fall short.
Perhaps you can craft your own phrase, much like my “grace and perfection can’t coexist,” as a simple reminder your heart and mind can tuck away for the days that feel nearly impossible to survive.
Your brain has this beautiful God-given ability to recall things that you not only neglect but sometimes don’t want to remember (but certainly need to). Truth is hard to face when the world is heavy, but when you’ve stocked your mind with biblical truths rooted in grace, you’ll find your heart more readily available to accept God’s mercies.
You can rest in what’s unshakeable.
God’s character doesn’t hinge on the mistakes we make or the situations we find ourselves in. Instead, His character is steady, forever sure, and good. Thus, we can lean into the undeniable truth that goodness is always present, even if we can’t see it.
Just as God is outside time, already in our future, we can know that goodness ahead, too. Of course, in a fallen world, there will be hard times. I certainly won’t pretend that your new year will be perfect, but you can find hope in knowing that goodness, healing, and joy, as innate characteristics of God’s very being, await you.
A new year can be both exciting and nerve-racking, especially when years gone by have proven their heaviness. However, I pray these two thoughts steady your heart and calm your mind as you enter a new year. Amid the highs and lows, the sweet moments and soul-crushing experiences, I pray you trust in the goodness of an unchanging, unfailing God.
“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7 (ESV)
Let’s pray:
Father, thank you for the blessing of a new year. Better still, thank you for your presence that has already been with us, using both the good and the bad to craft your story of redemption in our lives and in the lives of those around us. In the strong name of Jesus, I ask that you grant us a heavenly ability to rebuke fear and to walk faithfully in your ways, even when the days are dark and lonely. Grant us the grace and spiritual stamina to prepare our heads and hearts for the hard days, and gently remind us of your unshakeable love. We praise you for your steadfast goodness, Lord. In your almighty name we pray, Amen.
Photo credit: Getty Images/fizkes
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If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
