21 Days of Advance is all about starting the year intentionally seeking God. For these next 7 days, we’re going to cover the daily practices that build your faith.
Choosing What Matters Most
Day 8
"Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize."
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NLT
Athletes don’t accidentally become champions. They work hard and say no to things that won’t help them win. Spiritual disciplines work the same way. These practices train us to prioritize what truly satisfies over what’s convenient.
Paul uses the image of a runner to show us that spiritual growth requires focus and intentionality. Disciplines aren’t arbitrary rules to follow. They reveal God’s heart and how He designed life to work. When we understand the principles behind these practices, they stop feeling like obligations and start feeling like invitations into deeper relationships with Him.
This week, we’re going to explore the spiritual disciplines that grow our faith. These practices are tools that shape us into who God created us to be. Each discipline is an opportunity to train yourself to choose what matters most.
Dig Deeper
What spiritual disciplines have helped you grow closer to God in the past?
Take A Step Forward
What’s one specific distraction or comfort you need to say no to regularly so you can say yes to God?
True Integrity
Day 9
"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians 3:17 ESV
There’s no “church you” and “secular you.” Paul makes it clear: everything you do should be done in Jesus’ name. That means the you Monday morning at work, the you Friday night with friends, and the you Sunday morning at church are all the same person living for Christ. Your private life should match your public life.
We’re good at compartmentalizing. We show up for worship on Sunday, but by Monday we’ve slipped back into patterns that don’t reflect what we say we believe. We’re kind at church and short-tempered at home. We talk about generosity in small group and then hoard our resources at work. Living with integrity means you’re the same person everywhere—in the boardroom, the living room, and when no one’s watching.
Living an undivided life means bringing God into every conversation, decision, and relationship. It means your faith shapes how you treat your coworkers, spend your money, and use your time. When you live with integrity, you stop performing and start becoming the person God created you to be.
Dig Deeper
Where have you been living a divided life between your faith and your everyday actions?
Take A Step Forward
What’s one area where you need to stop compartmentalizing and start bringing God into it consistently?
A Thankful Heart
Day 10
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV
Gratitude is a discipline, not just a feeling. Paul tells us to give thanks in all circumstances—not for all circumstances, but in them. That means even when life is hard, we can choose to see God’s goodness and faithfulness. This practice transforms how we see everything around us.
When we train ourselves to be grateful, we shift our focus from what’s wrong to what God is doing. We stop dwelling on what we lack and start noticing what we’ve been given. This doesn’t mean ignoring real problems or pretending everything is fine. Tough times come around, but choosing to acknowledge God’s presence and provision even in the middle of difficulty changes everything.
Gratitude rewires your perspective. The more you practice it, the more you notice reasons to be thankful. Start small: thank God for one thing each morning. Write down three things you’re grateful for each night. Over time, this discipline changes not just how you see your circumstances but how you see God Himself.
Dig Deeper
What’s one area of your life where you’ve been focusing on what’s wrong instead of recognizing God’s goodness?
Take A Step Forward
How can you build a daily rhythm of gratitude this week?
Generous and Humble Stewards
Day 11
"Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too."
Philippians 2:3-4 NLT
True generosity flows from understanding that we’re stewards, not owners. Everything we have—our time, our money, our talents—belongs to God. When we recognize that, we hold it loosely. We stop clinging to our resources and our comfort because we understand we’re simply managing what God has entrusted to us.
Humility and generosity work together in stewardship. You can’t genuinely put others first if you’re focused on yourself. You can’t give freely if you’re convinced you deserve credit for kindness. Paul calls us to consider others more significant than ourselves, which means their needs matter just as much as ours do.
This isn’t about thinking less of yourself; it’s about thinking of yourself less. It’s about serving someone without expecting thanks or meeting a need without posting about it. We’re meant to manage what God has given us in a way that honors Him and blesses others. Especially when no one’s watching.
Dig Deeper
When have you served or given generously without needing recognition? How did that change your perspective on generosity?
Take A Step Forward
What’s one resource God has given you (time, money, talents) that you need to steward better this week?
Sabbath Rest
Day 12
"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."
Mark 2:27 ESV
We live in a culture that glorifies busyness. Taking a day to rest feels irresponsible or even lazy. But God commanded Sabbath rest because He knows we need it. Rest isn’t a reward for productivity; it’s a gift that reminds us we’re human, not machines.
Sabbath isn’t just about physical rest; it’s about spiritual trust. When you stop working, you’re saying, “God can handle this without me.” It’s a weekly reminder that you’re not the one holding everything together—He is. Rest requires faith. It means trusting that the world won’t fall apart if you step back for a day.
Practicing the Sabbath means setting aside one day a week to rest, worship, and reconnect with God. Turn off the work emails. Put down the to-do list. Spend time with people you love. Enjoy what God has made. The discipline of the Sabbath trains you to trust Him with the things you can’t control and to find your worth in who you are, not what you produce.
Dig Deeper
What makes it hard for you to rest? What does that reveal about where you’re placing your trust?
Take A Step Forward
What’s one practical step you can take this week to practice Sabbath rest and trust God with what you’re tempted to control?
The Power of Forgiveness
Day 13
"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 6:14-15 ESV
Forgiveness frees you from bitterness. When you refuse to forgive, you’re not punishing the other person; you’re imprisoning yourself. You replay the hurt over and over, letting it define your present even though it happened in the past. God calls us to release others because He’s already released us.
Jesus makes the connection explicit: we forgive because we’ve been forgiven. When we grasp how much God has forgiven us, it changes how we respond to others. That doesn’t mean what they did was okay, and it doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences. But it does mean you’re no longer holding their sin against them.
Forgiveness is a choice, not a feeling. You don’t wait until you feel like forgiving; you choose to forgive and trust that God will heal your heart over time. You release them to God and refuse to let their actions control your life anymore. That’s how bitterness loses its grip.
Dig Deeper
Who do you need to forgive? What’s holding you back from releasing that hurt to God?
Take A Step Forward
What’s one step you can take this week toward forgiving that person, even if you don’t feel ready yet?
Keep Getting Up
Day 14
"But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
James 1:25 ESV
These past two weeks we’ve been building spiritual disciplines. But disciplines don’t work if they’re one-time events. These are lifelong rhythms that shape who we become.
James talks about the person who doesn’t just hear God’s Word but acts on it and perseveres. That word “perseveres” is key. Rather than perfection, it’s about showing up again and again. You miss a day of reading Scripture, so you start again the next day. You lose your temper, so you ask for forgiveness and try again.
The spiritual disciplines you’ve practiced this week aren’t meant to end when these 21 days are over. They’re meant to become part of the fabric of your life. Pick one or two that have been most helpful and commit to continuing them. Build them into your routine. Make them non-negotiable. That’s how momentary effort becomes lasting change.
Dig Deeper
Which of these spiritual disciplines do you want to commit to beyond these 21 days?
Take A Step Forward
What’s your first step to making that discipline stick as a regular part of your life?
