We’re far enough into the new year that many people already feel the discouragement of settling back into their old patterns.
One study found the average person quits their resolution by January 19. It actually has a name. It’s called “Quitter’s Day.”
Change is hard. Spiritual change is even harder.
Starting next week, we will move on to some February related themes, but for one more week, I’m giving you 1 stat, 1 quote, and 1 story to help you preach the frustrations of trying to change.
People who practice prayer and engage with Scripture daily show 4x higher levels of hope.
“By perseverance, the snail reached the ark.” – Charles Spurgeon
Source: The Salt-Cellars: Being a Collection of Proverbs, Together with Homely Notes Thereon by Charles H. Spurgeon Vol. 1
The Chinese bamboo tree is one of the most fascinating examples of slow, invisible growth. When a farmer plants the seed, nothing seems to happen for an entire year.
He waters it, nurtures it, and checks on it daily—but the soil stays undisturbed. Year two looks the same. Then year three. Then year four. Four years of effort with absolutely nothing to show for it.
But in the fifth year, everything changes. In a matter of weeks, the bamboo suddenly shoots up nearly 90 feet. What looked like overnight success was actually years of unseen development.
While nothing appeared to be happening above ground, something very real was happening below the surface. The roots were growing deep and strong enough to support massive, rapid growth once the time was right.
Takeaway: God often works in seasons of hidden growth before seasons of visible breakthrough.
The Goldilocks Rule: How to Stay Motivated in Life and Business
This article explains that people stay motivated when a task is just hard enough—challenging but not overwhelming—because the sweet spot of difficulty creates engagement and progress.
Why You’re Not Changing as Fast as You Want To (video)
This is a video by John Ortberg that explains that real character change is slow and often frustrating because God rarely removes our flaws instantly; instead, He forms us through difficult people, hard circumstances, and repeated choices.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Get Ahead in Your Preaching Planning
As you start 2026, I want to make sure you know you can download a free preaching calendar to get ahead in your sermon planning. I also wrote a step-by-step guide to help you create a plan to get ahead.
I send emails just like this one to pastors every Monday. The goal is to help lighten the load of weekly preaching. I would love to add you to the list.
