View the Bible Reading Plans for this Year
Every new beginning eventually meets its benediction — the sacred pause at the end of a season when you stand still long enough to see what God has done. The year has unfolded, the lessons have deepened, and your soul carries the evidence of His faithfulness.
This is not the time to rush ahead. It is the time to notice.
To breathe.
To bless what has been, and to believe that what comes next is already held in His hands.
Lamentations 3:22–23 (ESV) says:
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”
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The purpose of reflection is not to revisit the past but to recognize the pattern of grace that ran through it. These prompts are meant to help you do just that — to gather the wisdom, gratitude, and courage you will need for what lies ahead.
Journal Prompts for Closing the Year
As you look back over this year, where do you see the fingerprints of God’s faithfulness?
What prayers were answered in unexpected ways, and how did those answers shape your trust in Him?
Which moments tested your endurance, and what did you learn about God’s strength in your weakness?
How has your understanding of “new beginning” changed since the start of the year?
What have you learned to release — not in resignation, but in peace?
Who or what has God used to help you grow in grace and maturity this year?
Which Scriptures became lifelines for you in seasons of doubt, and why did they speak so deeply?
What new habits, boundaries, or perspectives do you want to carry into the next season?
Where do you sense God calling you to trust Him more fully as one chapter closes and another begins?
If you could describe this year in a single phrase, what would it be — and what truth from God’s Word anchors that phrase?
The Practice of Remembering
Reflection is a holy act. It teaches you to recognize the goodness of God in the details you once overlooked. It draws your focus from what you lost to what He restored.
When you look back with gratitude, you prepare your heart to move forward with faith.
As you answer these questions, do not hurry through them. Let each prompt guide you into prayer, stillness, and honest worship. Some answers will bring tears; others will bring peace. Both are evidence of His presence.
Reflection Questions to think about
What rhythm of reflection can you carry into the next year to stay aware of God’s work in your life?
How can you mark this moment — through prayer, journaling, or quiet thanksgiving — as a spiritual closing of one season and the blessing of another?
What will you need to lay down in order to enter the next year freely and faithfully?
Affirmations to say to yourself
“I am closing this year with gratitude and peace.”
“God’s mercy met me in every season, and His grace will guide me into the next.”
“The lessons of this year have become the roots of my faith.”
“I release what was, I bless what is, and I trust what will be.”
Every year leaves an altar behind — a sacred memory of God’s goodness and your growth.
Stand at that altar now. Remember what He has done.
Then lift your eyes to the horizon of what He is preparing.
Because even in the benediction, He is still saying, “I am doing something new.”