My Word for 2026: Consecrated
As I step into 2026, one word has settled deep in my spirit: consecrated.
Consecrated.
Consecration is not about perfection. It is about position. It is the deliberate act of setting myself apart for God’s purposes, surrendering what I want so He can form what He desires. It is choosing to live yielded, available, and obedient. It is saying, “Lord, this year is Yours. Do what You want in me.”
The apostle Paul captures the heart of consecration clearly in Romans 12:1 (LSB):
“Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
A living sacrifice means I climb onto the altar daily. I do not visit it once a year with good intentions. I live there. Consecration is not a moment; it is a posture.
More Like Jesus, Less Like Me
If I am honest, the greatest obstacle to God’s work in my life is not the culture, the enemy, or the chaos around me. It is me.
To be consecrated in 2026 means allowing God to lovingly strip away the parts of me that look nothing like Jesus. It means embracing the slow, often uncomfortable work of sanctification. Paul writes in Galatians 2:20 (LSB):
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
Less of me does not mean losing my identity. It means discovering who I was always meant to be in Christ. The more I die to self, the more His life becomes visible through me.
What Consecration Looks Like Practically
Consecration is deeply spiritual, but it is never abstract. It touches everyday life.
Jesus prayed in John 17:17 (LSB), “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.”
If I want to be consecrated, I must stay close to the truth. God uses His Word to cleanse, correct, and conform me into the image of His Son.
A Prayer for 2026
My prayer for this year is simple, but costly.
I do not want to arrive at the end of 2026 having merely accomplished more. I want to arrive having become more like Jesus.
Consecration is not flashy. It rarely gets applause. But it gets heaven’s attention.
May 2026 be a year where we stop asking God to bless our plans and start offering Him our lives. Fully. Freely. Faithfully.
Here I am, Lord.
Set apart.
Send me.
Consecrated.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor Jody
- Not busier.
- Not louder.
- Not more impressive.
Consecrated.
Consecration is not about perfection. It is about position. It is the deliberate act of setting myself apart for God’s purposes, surrendering what I want so He can form what He desires. It is choosing to live yielded, available, and obedient. It is saying, “Lord, this year is Yours. Do what You want in me.”
The apostle Paul captures the heart of consecration clearly in Romans 12:1 (LSB):
“Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
A living sacrifice means I climb onto the altar daily. I do not visit it once a year with good intentions. I live there. Consecration is not a moment; it is a posture.
More Like Jesus, Less Like Me
If I am honest, the greatest obstacle to God’s work in my life is not the culture, the enemy, or the chaos around me. It is me.
- My pride.
- My preferences.
- My pace.
- My need to control outcomes.
To be consecrated in 2026 means allowing God to lovingly strip away the parts of me that look nothing like Jesus. It means embracing the slow, often uncomfortable work of sanctification. Paul writes in Galatians 2:20 (LSB):
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”
Less of me does not mean losing my identity. It means discovering who I was always meant to be in Christ. The more I die to self, the more His life becomes visible through me.
What Consecration Looks Like Practically
Consecration is deeply spiritual, but it is never abstract. It touches everyday life.
- It reshapes how I begin my mornings, choosing the Word and prayer before the noise of the world.
- It governs my decisions, asking not “Is this allowed?” but “Does this honor Christ?”
- It disciplines my body, my mind, and my habits, recognizing that my life belongs to God.
- It softens my heart toward conviction instead of resisting it.
Jesus prayed in John 17:17 (LSB), “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.”
If I want to be consecrated, I must stay close to the truth. God uses His Word to cleanse, correct, and conform me into the image of His Son.
A Prayer for 2026
My prayer for this year is simple, but costly.
- Lord, remove whatever does not belong.
- Refine what You want to use.
- Strengthen what is weak.
- Crucify what is fleshly.
- Produce what is Christlike.
I do not want to arrive at the end of 2026 having merely accomplished more. I want to arrive having become more like Jesus.
Consecration is not flashy. It rarely gets applause. But it gets heaven’s attention.
May 2026 be a year where we stop asking God to bless our plans and start offering Him our lives. Fully. Freely. Faithfully.
Here I am, Lord.
Set apart.
Send me.
Consecrated.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Pastor Jody
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