Devotionals for the Heart: Why we should surrender this year to God

Surrendering Our Year to God
A devotional by Erica J. Hill

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

—Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

Let’s start this year with submission to God rather than resolutions we cannot keep.

Each year, as the countdown begins and the ball slowly descends, people everywhere start to make New Year’s resolutions of the things they want to accomplish in the new year or the things they plan to leave behind in the last year. I am sure many of you did that too—whether you were at a party, sitting at home watching the new year celebrations on TV, or even at a church watch night service—thoughts came to mind about something you wanted to change.

Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV) tells us to “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Before we make our plans, we must be faithful stewards of our time and consult God.

While I am not much for making resolutions, I am a planner. Each year I sit down with a new planner that I spend hours researching to find the perfect one for my family’s lifestyle. I record appointments, trips, financial goals, and school dates. I worked hard on those plans, but I did not always cover them in prayer.

The past few years, I have begun to pray over that planner and pray daily before I even look at what the day holds. What if we prayed over the doctor’s appointments as we scheduled them? What if we prayed for our children’s school as we recorded their activities? What if we prayed over our finances as we recorded the bills to be paid?

Let’s thank God that we are still alive and that we made it through what we can honestly call a year of unexpected difficulties in an already unprecedented time. We made it through to another year, but many did not, and that alone should be enough to thank God, live righteous lives, and leave our ungodly ways behind.

Let’s give God our heart, mind and soul before we begin setting resolutions of all the things we are resolving to do or stop doing this year. Without God at the center of our lives, nothing can be accomplished to true satisfaction. So, before we plan, let us begin with prayer.

Before we attend vision board parties, book clubs, or engage in planning trips, let’s practice surrendering to the will of God over our plans. Ask God what He desires for our lives this year. Where does He want to see more of us? If we sit quietly with our thoughts, we can often identify where God has been nudging us toward improvement. Maybe He wants us to attend church more faithfully, dive deeper into Scripture, serve more in our church or community, and remove unforgiveness from our hearts.

Lean into these things this year by submitting to God’s will and allowing Him to set our path. Psalm 37:23 (NIV) tells us, “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him.” Let’s spend this year delighting in the Lord, allowing Him to decrease us so that He may increase in our lives. When we do this, we may discover that the things we have spent years trying to let go or finally complete are accomplished this year simply because we decided to surrender to God.

Instead of trying to do everything in our own strength, this year let’s choose to partner with God. Before we plan anything this year, let’s sit at the feet of Jesus Christ and pour out our hearts to Him. Let’s wait for Him to answer our prayers before spending hours struggling to produce a yearly plan. God already knows the blueprint, and He alone should direct our paths.

Let's Pray:

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of another year. Thank You for Your mercy that kept us and Your grace that carried us through every unexpected moment. As we stand at the beginning of this new season, we surrender our plans, goals, and desires to You. Teach us to seek You before success and trust You above our own understanding. Order our steps, guard our hearts, and align our will with Yours. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection #1: “I Surrender” by Hillsong Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #2: “Order My Steps” by GMWA Women of Worship. Listen to it here.

Song of Reflection #3: “Yes” by Shekinah Glory Ministry. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Erica J. Hill is a wife, mother, and proud grandmother living in Georgia. 

With a career spanning both elementary education and higher education, she has served as an elementary and middle grade English Language Arts (ELA) teacher and now works as an administrative assistant in higher education. Currently pursuing her master’s degree in Instructional Technology and Media Center Specialist, Erica’s love for learning and teaching runs deep.

Raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, she has faithfully served as a Sunday School teacher and now as one of the youth directors at her church. A lifelong writer at heart, Erica once set her passion aside to pursue other career goals—but recently felt God’s undeniable tug to pick up her pen again, this time to write for His Kingdom.

She is currently working on her first book, Worthy. Whole. Woman. It is a devotional that she hopes will be an encouraging resource created to uplift and empower women—especially women of color—to walk confidently in their God-given identity.

Through her words, Erica blends faith in God, personal reflection, and practical wisdom to inspire women to heal, grow, and embrace the fullness of who God created them to be.

Originally from Atlanta, Erica now calls Macon County home, where she lives with her husband and children. In her free time, you’ll usually find Erica curled up with a good book, working on DIY projects, or planning her next travel adventure.

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Connect with Erica:
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