By Pastor Ryan Stockstrom

Harvest Church

The time between Christmas and New Year’s is always a little strange to me. Christmas celebrations aren’t quite finished, New Year’s hasn’t arrived yet, and many of us are tired—emotionally, physically, and spiritually. But I’ve come to appreciate this “in-between” moment, because it gives us space to pause before rushing ahead.

As we step into a new year, I want to offer one simple encouragement: review the past year with grace.

Many of us are hard on ourselves. We set goals, fall short, and then quietly carry disappointment into the next year. Statistics tell us that nearly 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by February. That’s not because people are lazy—it’s because willpower alone rarely leads to lasting change.

Before setting new goals, it’s worth slowing down and asking a better question: Where has God already been at work in my life?

If we’re honest, most of us can point to real growth. Maybe it wasn’t dramatic, but it was meaningful. Maybe you stayed faithful during a hard season. Maybe you grew in patience, prayer, or simply showing up. Growth doesn’t have to be flashy to be real.

Scripture reminds us that our identity is not built on performance. If you belong to Christ, you are a child of God. Before we ask what we should become, we must remember whose we are. That truth gives us dignity, direction, and hope.

That said, growth is still a process—and a struggle. Even the apostle Paul admitted that he often didn’t do the good he wanted to do and kept doing the very things he hated (Romans 7). His honesty is comforting. It reminds us that spiritual maturity doesn’t mean the absence of struggle; it means learning where to take the struggle.

Paul’s answer wasn’t self-condemnation. It was surrender: “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

That’s where real change begins—not by trying harder, but by trusting deeper.

As we look forward, I find it helpful to think less about resolutions and more about priorities. Stephen Covey once illustrated life as a jar filled with rocks, gravel, sand, and water. If you put the small things in first, there’s no room left for what matters most. But if you place the big rocks in first, everything else fits around them.

The question, then, is simple: What are your big rocks?

For followers of Jesus, God must be the first and largest rock. When He is first, everything else—family, work, finances, health—finds its proper place. When He isn’t, even good things begin to crowd out what gives life.

From there, other big rocks matter too.

Money is one of them—not because it should rule us, but because we all live with it. Scripture never condemns earning or saving, but it consistently warns against trusting money. Giving is one way God frees our hearts from greed and reminds us where our true security lies.

Family is another big rock. Family is a gift, but even family can become an idol if it becomes our ultimate purpose. God calls us to love our families deeply while remembering that our lives are meant to bless the world beyond them.

Career and work matter as well. Our work is one of the primary ways God serves the world through us. Whether the job feels fulfilling or frustrating, Scripture calls us to work with purpose and integrity, as if serving the Lord Himself.

Purpose, beyond our vocation, is also essential. God has placed gifts in each of us for a reason. There is deep joy in discovering how He has wired us and using those gifts to serve others.

Health belongs on the list too. Our bodies are gifts from God, meant to be stewarded—not worshiped. Caring for them allows us to serve longer and better, but our hope is not found in physical perfection.

Finally, relationships are a big rock we cannot ignore. Growth happens in community. We need people who can pray with us, challenge us, and walk with us honestly.

As we enter a new year, my encouragement is this: don’t aim for perfection. Aim for alignment. Put the big rocks in first. Review the past with grace. Trust God with the process.

He hasn’t moved. He’s still right there—ready to lead us forward.