SIS, As we step into a brand-new year, a familiar phrase echoes through our social feeds: New year, new you.
But here’s the truth: nothing automatically changes just because the calendar does. You can enter a new year carrying old habits, heavy mindsets, and unhealed wounds. This season invites us into something deeper than a resolution; it invites us into alignment.
Before we rush into vision boards and busy schedules, we must pause and ask: Am I aligned with the Father’s heart for my life?
Alignment is about positioning ourselves under the spout where the glory thins out—positioning ourselves for The Outpouring. It means choosing to let go of what no longer serves God’s purpose so we can be hollowed out and filled with His Spirit. As the Apostle Paul reminds us in Philippians 3:13–14:
Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
We cannot receive the “new wine” of the Spirit while clutching the old wineskins of our past.
Laying Aside the Weights
In Hebrews 12:1, we are told to “lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us.” It’s important to note: Weights aren’t always sins. Sometimes they are just distractions. They are the lingering disappointments, the “should-haves,” and the clutter that takes up the space intended for God’s presence.
This year, we make a conscious decision: We will not carry what God never intended us to hold. We clear the space so the Outpouring can begin.
To move from reflection to spiritual readiness, try these practical steps this month:
The “Space” Audit: Identify one area of your life that feels “cluttered” (your schedule, your morning routine, or even your thought life). Dedicate 15 minutes a day to silence in that area, asking God to fill that space with His peace instead of noise.
Write Your “Laying Aside” List: Grab a journal and list the weights you’ve been carrying (bitterness, perfectionism, past failures). Pray over them, then physically cross them out as a symbol of surrendering them to make room for the new thing God is doing.
Fast Intentionally!
Father, As we enter this new year, we release every weight and distraction that has held us back. We choose alignment before the outpouring. Empty us of ourselves and fill us with Your Spirit. Renew our minds, order our steps, and lead us into the purpose You have prepared for us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
