25 ways to grow spiritually in 2025

Because there's no bad time to start a new habit

Jan 09, 2025

What are you doing to grow spiritually this year?

I know, big question!

While there’s never a bad time to develop a new spiritual habit, I find the beginning of the year an exceptionally opportune moment for reviewing what’s been working, where I can improve, and what can be added in to my current routines.

Maybe you feel the same. If so, this week’s post is for you! (And if not, keep reading anyway—there’s something here for you, as well.)

You’ll find below a list of 25 habits that, if you dedicate to them over the next 12 months, will yield spiritual results. You don’t have to do all 25; in fact, you’re probably already doing several of them. I’d recommend choosing one or two at a time to incorporate into your routine.

The Christian life isn’t a competition, but a lifelong journey. Not quite a 400-meter dash; more like a hike through unfamiliar terrain. As C.S. Lewis says, “Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.” There’s no big secret to a holier life or increased closeness to God—no snake oil or magic bullets here; just simple, consistent disciplines that yield dividends once implemented into the life of the believer.

So, with that…25 things that, if you commit to them this year, will result in spiritual growth. (I guarantee it!)

PRAYER

1. Memorize the Lord’s Prayer. You’ve likely already done this, but if not…now is the perfect time! I love using the Lord’s Prayer as a guide for my other prayers throughout the day.

2. Set a time each day to pray. You’re likely praying throughout the day anyway, but setting a specific appointment is a great way to make prayer a habit. (I find an alarm on my phone to be the perfect prompt.)

3. Commit to praying for something continually. Is there an area in your life where you need God’s guidance? Commit to praying specifically for that thing daily.

4. Keep a prayer log. You don’t have to journal all your prayers verbatim, but keep a note in your phone or your notebook of the things you’re presenting before God. Then, return to that list regularly—with time, you’ll be able to discern God’s answers to those prayers.

COMMUNITY

5. Join a bible study/small group/book club. The best way to learn is alongside others! I’ve met with a small book club regularly for around three years now, and I can’t overstate how encouraging it is to wrestle with theological questions with the help of friends.

6. Commit to your church. Again, you likely already have this one in the bag! If so, think about how you can serve your church this year—can you lead a small group, keep babies in the nursery, or pay for some teenagers to go to camp?

7. Ask others what they’re learning. So many of the most interesting conversations I have start with someone saying, “I read something that said…” The Christian life isn’t meant to be lived alone; learning from others is a gift, and it’s always fascinating to see what new insights can be gained from listening to brothers and sisters in Christ.

8. Tell someone what you’re learning. It may be tempting to wait to share about something until you have gained near-perfect understanding, but this is fallacious. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wrestled with something internally for days before finally bringing it up in conversation, and then (and only then!) having the epiphany I’ve been waiting for all along.

9. Share your faith (or share about it). May it never be said of me, “I didn’t know she was a Christian.” Be proud of your Christianity and willing, ready, and able to lovingly answer questions as they arise.

SCRIPTURE

10. Memorize some scripture. This is a new one for me! I’m thinking I’ll start by trying to memorize all of Psalm 1 this year.

11. Meditate on a passage of scripture. This is a different discipline than your daily reading. Choose one passage—a Psalm, the Beatitudes, a chapter from one of Paul’s letters—and spend intentional time thinking about and praying through each word for a few weeks.

12. Saturate yourself in scripture. Interact with scripture in some form every day. Read it, listen to it on audio, talk about it, ask questions, practice memory verses, listen to podcasts about it—whatever it takes!

LEARNING

13. Figure out what questions you have. There are really no dumb questions here! Sit down with good ole pen and paper (or keyboard and notes app—I don’t discriminate) and make a list of everything you’re wondering about.

14. Answer those questions. Tackle the list one item at a time. Search the web, talk to friends, head to the library—use this as an opportunity to assuage some of the intellectual anxieties that plague you, or simply to satisfy your curiosity.

15. Read a book about theology. Choose something you’re interested in—maybe a topic from your list of questions? Or, grab a classic like Mere Christianity (or really, anything by C.S. Lewis).

16. Learn about heroes of the faith. There is no shortage of fascinating stories about the “great cloud of witnesses” that has gone before us. Apostles, martyrs, saints, missionaries, philosophers, scientists, reformers, artists—pick up a biography or find a podcast (like Our Church Speaks) and be encouraged.

REFLECTION

17. Set aside time for quiet contemplation. There’s far too little quiet in this world—but you can take some of it back. Be intentional about turning off background noise, even if only for a moment, and use that time to pray and reflect.

18. Confess regularly. “Be killing sin, or it will be killing you.” Make recognition and true repentance a habit.

19. Reflect on what you’ve experienced. Every few months or so, set aside some time to reflect on what the Lord has taught you and brought you through in the preceding weeks.

20. Practice gratitude. God has blessed me so greatly and so abundantly, and I know he has done the same for you! Keep a running list of the things you’re grateful for and return to it often.

OTHER DISCIPLINES

21. Fast. Traditional fasting is mostly marked by abstinence from rich foods (or all foods) for a set period as an exercise to control the will and increase dependence on God.

22. Make sacrifice a habit. In a way, this is part two of the gratitude item above. “Freely you have received; freely give.” Whether it’s time, money, services, emotional support—God will open your eyes to opportunities to serve and submit if you ask.

23. Commit to rest. I am often guilty of muddling the boundaries between rest and work such that neither is really accomplished well. If you fall into that trap as well, consider setting aside a Sabbath of sorts in which you intentionally abstain from work. Or, start smaller by committing to not answer work emails outside of work hours.

24. Take media breaks. I don’t know what your vice is—mine is social media. This year, I’m committing to less mindless scrolling and more long-form thought.

25. Stack your habits. A life hack from the self-help gurus that actually works: Pair something you’re trying to start doing (like memorizing scripture, for instance) with something you already do every day (like brushing your teeth).

What are you starting with?

Personally, I’m committing to listening to the entire Bible this year. I’ve never read the Bible in a year, and I’ve never listened to the Bible on audio, so it’ll be a new experience for me all around.

Let me know in the comments what you’re committing to this year, and we’ll commit to praying for and encouraging each other along the way!