As we enter a new year, many of us find ourselves surrounded by all kinds of goal-setters, resolution-makers, and self-help gurus. But, if you’re anything like me, you find it difficult to join in with motivation. It starts a whole list of “I shoulds” for me, and honestly, I’m over it. Instead, I like to approach the new year in kind of a counterintuitive way—by looking back.
Remembering is a God-commanded practice that was well-established in the Old Testament. I especially love the story found in Joshua 3–4, where God led the Israelites across the Jordan River on dry ground. In chapter 4, God commanded that they place twelve stones, one representing each tribe of Israel, in the Jordan River, “so that this will be a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ you should tell them, ‘The water of the Jordan was cut off in front of the ark of the Lord’s covenant. When it crossed the Jordan, the Jordan’s water was cut off.’ Therefore, these stones will always be a memorial for the Israelites” (vv. 6-7).
In this story, significance is placed on remembering the event as the actual event itself. There can be no moving forward in growth without a clear assessment of the past.
My friend Whitney Capps defines sanctification as looking more like Jesus today than I did last year. I love that definition, and it starts with answering the question, “How much did I look like Jesus last year?”
Growth in Mind, Body, and Spirit
In 2023 I committed to completing a hard physical challenge. It was harder and scarier than anything I had ever attempted in my life, and you know what? I did it. But what I learned along the way shocked me. Not only did this physical challenge bleed over into other areas of my life, but the actual practice of dying to self made me more like Jesus. Let me say that again. The practice of dying to my selfish, physical desires made me more Christ-like, and in fact, it is sanctifying me.
It was through this challenge that I realized I had been making the mistake of disconnecting my body and how I was living in it from my own spiritual and mental health. I learned that my physical body is very much integrated with my spiritual and emotional life by design! God actually intended for these three parts of me to function together.
The corporate worship experience is one of the best ways of describing the fusion of the body, mind, and spirit. What is happening inwardly for me, whether it’s a profound feeling of love or overwhelming gratitude for what God has done in my life, when expressed outwardly with my physical body, all three of these parts are engaged. If I’m kneeling in prayer or singing loudly with uplifted hands, I am all in—body, mind, and spirit.
And so, as I assess how things went last year, I must look at three major aspects of my life. I examine how I’m living in my body, how I’m cultivating a sharp mind and connected emotions, as well as desiring and pursuing a deep and healthy inner life and relationship with God. They are not meant to be separated but invisibly intertwined.
So, let’s take a spiritual check-up together and get a clear picture of how we are beginning 2024. You may even want to have the January 2023 version of you take this quiz and see how the January 2024 version compares!
Take the Quiz!
Click here to open and download the spiritual check-up quiz.
In Section One, all statements are about our physical bodies. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.”
Section Two is made up of statements about our mental and emotional health. In Matthew 22, an “expert in the law” asked Jesus which of the commandments was the greatest. He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands” (vv. 37-40).
Section Three contains statements regarding our inner or spiritual life. Paul, in his letter to the Thessalonians, encouraged them to “Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t stifle the Spirit. Don’t despise prophecies, but test all things. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil” (1 Thess. 5:16-22).
The Year Ahead
I encourage you to use your score to determine your path forward in 2024. Did you score low in Section One and high in Section Three? It may be that your physical health and spiritual health are out of balance. Did you score low in all three sections? Don’t be discouraged! You now are keenly aware of where to put your focus in 2024 as you rely on the help of God more.
If you are feeling overwhelmed and not at all inspired to tackle a new year’s resolution, join me in looking back, remembering what God has done, and using His movement in our lives as a spiritual GPS guiding us into 2024.
Are you ready to dive into a challenge in the new year to strengthen your physical, mental, and spiritual health? Check out Angie’s 31 Day Shine: A Challenge for Body, Mind, and Spirit). Listen to Angie’s podcast, Let it Shine, to pursue growth in your mind, body, and spirit.
ABOUT ANGIE ELKINS
Angie grew up in a Christian family in the Memphis, Tennessee, area. Early in life, she developed a love for music and the local church. After graduating from Union University, she attended Southwestern Seminary to pursue a Masters in Music. While at Southwestern, she met her husband Robert. They married in 1996 and have three children: Jack, Audrey, and Foster. In the last twenty-five years, Angie has been leading worship all over the country and writing music for the local church.
In 2017, she started her podcast, and in 2023 launched Let It Shine, a podcast about sanctification over self-help. Angie is the manager of the Lifeway Podcast Network, where she works with amazing shows like MARKED and The Glass House with Ben and Lynley Mandrell. Angie’s favorite things are taking morning walks in her neighborhood, Walt Disney World, and trips with her girlfriends. Angie lives in Orlando, Florida, where her husband serves as the worship pastor of First Baptist Church of Orlando.
