A Prayer for Embracing and Celebrating Personal Growth - New Year Devotional - January 19

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A Prayer for Embracing and Celebrating Personal Growth

By Vivian Bricker

Bible Reading:

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” - 2 Peter 3:18

When I was a preteen, the last thing I wanted to do was to grow up. Like many children, I wanted to stay a child forever. While some children dream of the day they are adults, other children want to stay in the safety of childhood forever. Sadly, the latter is not an option; we all have to grow up. Even though I didn’t enjoy growing up, I have now learned how to embrace and celebrate growth in my life.

Recently, I had to go to the doctor and one of my worst fears is to get my blood drawn. I’m known in my doctor’s office as someone who is hard to draw blood from. However, during this specific doctor’s visit, my blood being drawn was not a big deal. The woman who took my blood did it effortlessly, and there was little to no pain. While this nurse takes blood every day and didn’t think much about it, I was extremely proud of myself for getting through it.

Before my visit, I prayed constantly and asked the Lord for His help. I’ve always been afraid of having my blood drawn because of so many bad experiences. On one occasion at the hospital, three nurses were trying to get an IV line in, and they played my veins like a ukulele. It’s safe to say that I probably will always have a fear of getting my blood drawn; however, it showed much growth in my life by simply choosing to get my blood drawn rather than directly leaving the office out of fear.

We need to embrace and celebrate the little wins in our personal growth. Our growth might not be evident to others, but we can often see it clearly in our own lives. Personal growth for you could be staying calm when a family member is trying to agitate you or choosing to take the higher road when someone insults you.

The Apostle Peter tells us, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen” (2 Peter 3:18). As Peter says, we need always to be growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. Growth is to be seen as a beautiful blessing, and we should be on the lookout for new growth opportunities.

Let’s Pray:
Dear Lord, I have often overlooked my personal growth, but now I understand that I must embrace and celebrate it. Help me to grow in the grace and knowledge of You, Lord. I don’t want to grow in accordance with the world any longer. I’m choosing to fully follow You and grow in You. Thank You, Lord. To You belongs the glory and praise forever! Amen.

Vivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate: https://cultivatechristianity.wordpress.com/. 

Related Resource: How to Choose Your One Word for 2026

This month on the How to Study the Bible Podcast, we’re starting a new series called One Word 2026, and it’s meant to be a gentle but intentional way to reflect, respond, and reconnect with God as we begin the year. In this episode, I’m walking you through why I love taking the whole month of January to pause and listen — rather than rushing into resolutions or putting pressure on yourself to “get it all together” by January 1. We’re going to start with Philippians 1:3–11, where Paul reminds us that we can have real confidence because God is still working in us, and He’s not finished.

Then I’m going to share six words I’ve been praying over for our community — six spiritual intentions that I believe reflect the kind of growth God may be inviting us into this year. You don’t have to choose one right away, and you definitely don’t have to force it — but I hope that one of these words will resonate in your spirit and give you a steady anchor for 2026.

 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 subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!