Leave the Junk Back in 2024 & Make 2025 Your Best Year Yet
Gary Keesee • January 8, 2025
Reading Time 4 mins 39 secs –
You know, every January, people talk about starting fresh—setting New Year’s resolutions and trying to reset their lives physically, emotionally, financially, and spiritually. And that’s great. But how many times have we found ourselves setting the same resolutions year after year, only to abandon them a few days, weeks, or a month later?
This year, I want to challenge you to think differently. Instead of focusing only on what you want to achieve in 2025, let’s also take a hard look at what you need to leave behind in 2024. Sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs come not from what we gain but from what we let go of.
Here are three things to leave behind as you step into God’s best for your life in 2025:
1. Insecurities
Let’s talk about insecurity for a second. It’s a sneaky thief. It keeps you stuck, paralyzed, and doubting whether you’re capable of doing what God called you to do. Insecurity is not from God. It's the enemy’s tactic to rob you of your destiny.
God made you on purpose, for a purpose, and He doesn’t make mistakes. Genesis 1:27 says you were created in His image. That means you have His DNA—His creativity, power, and potential—inside of you.
Stop comparing yourself to someone else’s highlight reel. Stop trying to fix yourself with things that don’t matter—more stuff, more status, or other people’s opinions. God has already given you everything you need to walk confidently into your calling.
Here’s what to do:
- Spend time reminding yourself what God says about you. When insecurity tries to creep in, stand firm on the Word of God.
- Write down affirmations based on Scripture, and speak them out loud! Your words carry power.
- Be confident in this truth: God chose you for this moment, this season, and this purpose.
Let 2025 be the year you leave insecurity in the rearview mirror. You have too much ahead to let fear hold you back.
2. Complaining
I’m going to be real with you: complaining is one of the fastest ways to keep yourself stuck. It focuses all your energy on what’s wrong instead of what God’s doing. And the Bible makes it clear: “The tongue has the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21a, NIV). What are you speaking over your life?
Complaining doesn’t just create negativity; it’s a mindset. When you constantly dwell on the problems, you miss the solutions God is already providing.
So, what’s the alternative? Gratitude. Gratitude is a weapon. It shifts your focus and aligns your thinking with God’s promises.
Here’s how to flip the script:
- Start a gratitude list. Write down three things you’re thankful for every day. Train your mind to focus on what God is doing, not what isn’t going right.
- Catch yourself. When you start to complain, pause and say, “What can I be grateful for in this moment?”
- Get perspective. Ask yourself, “Is this going to matter a year from now?” Most of the time, the things we complain about aren’t worth the energy.
When you retrain your mind to focus on the good, you’ll find that joy and strength naturally follow. The Bible says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10b, NIV). Let’s lean into that joy in 2025.
3. Toxic Relationships
We’ve all been there. Relationships can be a blessing, but some relationships weigh you down, pull you away from God’s plan, and drain your energy. Toxic relationships aren’t just in romantic settings. They can show up in friendships, family, or work environments too.
If someone is constantly pulling you away from your purpose, making you question your worth, or keeping you from stepping into God’s best, it’s time to set some boundaries. And listen: this doesn’t mean cutting off people entirely. Boundaries don’t mean you stop loving people. They mean you stop letting their dysfunction control your life.
Ask yourself:
- Is this relationship pushing me closer to God or pulling me away?
- Does this person consistently build me up, or do they tear me down?
When you let go of relationships that aren’t aligned with where God is taking you, you make space for the right people—people who will encourage you, challenge you, and grow with you.
I’m Sure You Can Think of More Things to Leave Behind…
This list is just a starting point. Maybe for you, it’s leaving behind procrastination, negative thoughts, or the fear of failure. Maybe it’s doubt, pride, or the need to control everything. Whatever it is, take some time to reflect. Ask yourself: What’s holding me back from stepping into the life God has for me?
We all have things we’ve been carrying for far too long—things that don’t belong in the next chapter of our lives. This year, don’t just focus on what you’re reaching for; get intentional about what you’re letting go of. There’s power in leaving behind what no longer (or never did) serve God’s purpose for you.
Stepping Into 2025
Here’s the good news: You don’t have to navigate this alone. God didn’t design you to do life by yourself. Surround yourself with people who will speak life into you, remind you of God’s promises, and stand with you in faith.
You won’t always get it right—and that’s okay. Nobody succeeds at everything all the time. But when you fall, God’s grace is there to pick you back up. He’s cheering you on, and so are Drenda and I.
As we move forward into 2025, let’s leave behind insecurity, complaining, and toxic relationships. Instead, let’s embrace God’s truth, walk in gratitude, and surround ourselves with the right people.
This is your year to step boldly into what God has called you to do. Let’s make it count.
Reading Time 5 mins 48 secs – Most people were never designed to simply survive. Yet that is exactly how many live. Paycheck to paycheck. Bill to bill. Problem to problem. When life becomes a constant struggle to make ends meet, dreams often begin to disappear. Vision fades. Purpose becomes difficult to see. Instead of building something meaningful, people spend their energy trying to escape pressure, avoid emergencies, and make it through another week. But that was never God's design. Money Is Not the Problem Many Christians have been taught to view money with suspicion. Some assume that having money is wrong. Others believe that prosperity and spirituality cannot coexist. Yet Scripture does not say money is evil. Paul told Timothy that “ the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil ” (1 Timothy 6:10, NIV). The problem was never money itself. The problem was allowing money to become an idol. Money itself is simply a tool. Like any tool, it can be used for good or for harm. A hammer can build a house or break a window. The issue is not the tool. The issue is the heart of the person using it. God never intended His people to fear money. He intended them to understand it, steward it, and use it for Kingdom purposes. The Curse Was More Than Sin When Adam and Eve walked with God in the Garden, they lacked nothing. There was no fear. No shortage. No survival mentality. Everything they needed was already provided. But after the Fall, humanity entered what Scripture describes as a cursed system of painful toil, sweat, thorns, and thistles. God told Adam that the ground was cursed and that food would now come through painful labor and the sweat of his brow. From that moment forward, people found themselves fighting simply to survive. Many people are still living under that mindset today. They work jobs they dislike because they feel trapped. They surrender dreams because they feel they have no options. They lose sight of who they are because survival consumes all their attention. But Jesus came to bring something different. Good News for the Poor When Jesus announced His ministry, He stood in the synagogue, opened the scroll of Isaiah, and declared that the Spirit of the Lord had anointed Him to proclaim good news to the poor. Jesus knew that poverty was about more than money. It affects how people see themselves. Dreams are exchanged for desperation. Purpose is replaced by pressure. Jesus came to restore more than provision. He came to restore identity. Think about that. What is good news to someone who is poor? The good news is not that poverty is a blessing. The good news is freedom. Freedom from bondage. Freedom from limitation. Freedom from a system that keeps people trapped. Isaiah’s prophecy continues by describing broken hearts being healed, captives being set free, and those who mourn receiving beauty instead of ashes. It paints a picture of restoration. Jesus came to restore what was lost. He came to reconnect people to the Kingdom of God and the resources, wisdom, and provision that flow from it. You Were Created to Create One of the greatest lies people believe is that they are destined to spend their lives confined by limitations. But you were made in the image of God. God creates. And He created you with the ability to create as well. You were not designed to live without vision. You were not designed to live without purpose. You were not designed to spend your life trapped in survival mode. God reminded Israel in Deuteronomy 8 not to forget where their increase came from. As they entered a land of abundance, built fine houses, and watched their silver and gold multiply, He warned them not to believe their own strength had produced it. Instead, He said, “ Remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth ” (Deuteronomy 8:18, NIV). Notice what it does not say. It does not say God gives everyone wealth without responsibility. It says He gives the ability. The wisdom. The ideas. The opportunities. The strategies. The insight. Often, one God-given idea can change the course of an entire life. The Blessing Works Through You Many people spend their lives looking for something to bless. The Kingdom works differently. God blesses people. When Joseph was placed in charge of Potiphar's household, everything under his care prospered because the blessing was operating through Joseph. The blessing was not on the building. The blessing was on the person. The same principle appears in Deuteronomy 28, where God promises to bless everything His people put their hands to. The blessing wasn't on the barns. The blessing was on the people filling the barns. Wherever you place your hand in obedience to God, His favor, wisdom, and provision can flow through you into that assignment. You carry Kingdom authority. You carry Kingdom citizenship. You carry Kingdom potential. You Can Start Today Perhaps you feel trapped in survival mode. Maybe debt has stolen your peace. Maybe disappointment has caused you to lower your expectations. Maybe you’ve stopped dreaming because life has become about getting through the next month. God has not forgotten you. His Kingdom still operates. His promises still work. His wisdom is still available. His favor still opens doors. Paul wrote that God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask, think, or imagine according to His power at work within us. And the same God who gives seed to the sower still gives His people the power to produce wealth, create value, serve others, and fulfill their purpose. You do not have to spend your life surviving. In Christ, there is a better way. A Simple Prayer Father, Thank You for sending Jesus to redeem me from every part of the curse and to bring me into Your Kingdom. Help me renew my thinking where I have accepted survival as my destiny. Show me the opportunities, wisdom, and purpose You have prepared for my life. Teach me to steward resources faithfully, trust Your promises completely, and use every blessing to advance Your Kingdom. Thank You for giving me the power to produce wealth and the grace to fulfill my assignment. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.
Reading Time 5 mins 08 secs – Faith does not usually disappear all at once. It happens slowly. A little distraction here. A little neglect there. A few days without feeding on the Word of God. A few moments of fear left unchecked. Before long, you may still remember what faith felt like, but you are no longer living from that place. That is what spiritual atrophy looks like. In the natural, muscles weaken when they are not used. You may remember being strong. You may remember what you used to carry or accomplish. But when the moment comes to use that strength again, you realize something has changed. The same thing can happen spiritually. You can remember the Scriptures. You can remember past victories. You can know the right things to say. But faith is more than repeating words. Faith is agreement with heaven. More Than Saying the Right Words Jesus said in Mark 11:23 that whoever speaks to the mountain and does not doubt in his heart will have what he says. The issue is not only what comes out of your mouth. The issue is also what your heart truly believes. Many people say, “My faith is weak.” But often, the real issue is unbelief. Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed can move a mountain (Matthew 17:20). That means the problem is not the size of your faith. If faith is present, heaven has jurisdiction. Faith is not pretending everything is fine while fear still dominates your thinking. True faith is becoming so persuaded by God’s Word that His truth feels more real than the circumstance standing in front of you. The question is this: Are you in agreement with God’s Word? Or has fear, disappointment, or a past failure painted a different picture inside of you? The Enemy Works Through Pictures Fear always tries to create an image. A bad report. A painful memory. A failed attempt. A worst-case scenario. The enemy wants you to meditate on what could go wrong until fear feels more real than God’s promise. But every promise from God carries a picture too. Healing carries a picture. Provision carries a picture. Peace carries a picture. Victory carries a picture. If the picture inside you does not match what heaven says, your thinking has to be renewed. That only happens through the Word of God. Build Your Foundation Before the Storm Jesus said the wise man built his house on the rock. When the storm came, the house stood firm because it had a foundation. The storm is not the time to begin building. Do not wait until sickness comes to search for healing Scriptures. Do not wait until pressure hits your finances to learn how God’s Kingdom works. Build now. Meditate on the Word now. Mark 4 teaches us that the Word is seed. When it is planted in your heart, it grows over time. First the stalk, then the head, then the full grain. Faith grows the same way. As you continue feeding on truth, what God says becomes more real than what circumstances say. What Comes Out First Reveals Your Foundation When pressure suddenly hits, the first words out of your mouth often reveal what you truly believe. Fear speaks quickly. But faith speaks with authority. If fear has been leading your thoughts lately, do not live condemned. Recognize where you are and go back to the Word. Strengthen what has grown weak. Let truth become alive inside you again. Because when you are fully persuaded, you stop wrestling with whether God will do what He promised. You simply stand. You Can Start Fresh Today God’s mercies are new every morning. That means yesterday does not have the final word over your life. You are not trapped by past failures, past disappointments, or seasons where you felt spiritually dry. God is not asking you to live off old victories or old encounters with Him. He invites you to walk with Him daily, to be renewed daily, and to grow stronger daily. You are not stuck in spiritual weakness. Faith can be rebuilt. Strength can return. Your confidence in God can grow again. The same way muscles strengthen through consistent exercise and nourishment, your spirit becomes strong when it is continually fed with truth. Every moment spent in God’s Word is building something inside of you. Even when you cannot immediately see it, the seed is growing. You can renew your mind. You can rebuild your foundation. You can feed your spirit until faith rises again and God’s promises become more real to you than fear, pressure, or uncertainty. The enemy may look for an opportune time, but you do not have to live vulnerable or unprepared. When your life is built on the Word, you are not easily shaken by bad reports, changing circumstances, or unexpected pressure. You know where your confidence comes from. Build your life on truth. Stay spiritually nourished. Guard what you allow into your heart and mind. Listen to the Holy Spirit, and follow His direction day by day. And when pressure comes, you will not collapse under it. You will stand firm, anchored in the promises of God and confident that He is faithful to finish what He started in you. A Simple Prayer Father, Thank You for Your Word and for teaching me how Your Kingdom operates. Show me where fear, unbelief, or wrong thinking has taken root in my heart. Help me renew my mind and become fully persuaded of Your promises. Strengthen my faith, guide me by Your Spirit, and teach me to stand firmly on Your truth. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.
Reading Time 4 mins 25 secs – Fear feels real. It talks loudly. It paints pictures. It rehearses worst-case scenarios. And if you do not know how to stop it, it will try to script your future before you ever get there. But fear is not truth. Fear is not fact. And through God’s Word, you can live free from it. Scripture says plainly, “ Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4a, NIV). Notice that carefully. It does not say fear is unavoidable. It does not say anxiety is your permanent condition. It does not say torment is part of your identity. It says, I will fear no evil. That means freedom from fear is possible. Fear Works Through Images Fear often begins with a thought, but it does not stop there. It immediately tries to form a picture. The doctor says something concerning, and fear paints the ending. The bank account drops, and fear paints the ending. A symptom shows up, and fear paints the ending. A problem hits your family, and fear paints the ending. That is how the enemy works. He presents an image and tries to convince you it is reality. But just because something enters your mind does not mean it is true. Fear is an imagination. It is an illusion. It may feel convincing, but that does not make it a fact. The enemy wants you to meditate on what could go wrong. God calls you to stand on what He said. The Real Battle Is at the Root Fear is often treated like the main problem. But fear is really a symptom. Like a fever in the body, it points to something deeper that needs attention. The deeper issue is what you believe. If fear keeps dominating your thoughts, then somewhere a lie has been accepted as truth. That is why the answer is not just trying harder to calm down. The answer is renewing your mind. You must identify the lie. Then you must replace it with truth. Second Corinthians 10:5 reminds us that we are to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. That means you do not let fearful thoughts sit in your mind and build a home there. You reject them. You replace them. You do not fight fear by admiring it, analyzing it, or entertaining it. You fight fear by confronting it with truth. What You Are Anchored to Matters Life will always present moments that seem dangerous, uncertain, or impossible. The question is not whether you will face pressure. The question is what you are anchored to when pressure comes. If your confidence is anchored to circumstances, you will always feel unstable. Circumstances change. Reports change. Emotions change. But God’s Word does not change. Truth can hold you. Just as a climber trusts the anchor that keeps him from falling, you must learn to trust the promises of God more than the pictures fear is trying to show you. When your life is anchored to truth, fear loses its power to dominate your thinking. Renewing Your Mind Changes What Feels Possible There was a time when many things people now accept with confidence would have seemed impossible. Flight looked impossible. Certain athletic feats looked impossible. What changed? Knowledge. Training. Repetition. Confidence in a higher law. In the same way, many believers still live under the assumption that fear is normal, fear is wise, fear is protective, or fear is just part of life. But God’s Kingdom operates differently. In Romans 12:2a (NIV), it says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Transformation does not happen by accident. It happens when you retrain your thinking with truth. The world trains people to expect loss, danger, failure, sickness, and defeat. God trains His people to expect His faithfulness, His promises, His strength, and His victory. If you keep feeding on fear, fear will feel natural. If you feed on truth, freedom will become normal. You Must Replace the Picture You cannot simply tell yourself not to think about something. You must replace the wrong picture with the right one. If fear says, “This will destroy you,” answer with what God says. If fear says, “You are going under,” answer with what God says. If fear says, “You will never recover,” answer with what God says. Truth is the antidote. When God promises healing, provision, peace, protection, and victory, those promises carry pictures. They are meant to shape your imagination. Too many people meditate on everything that can go wrong. But faith grows when you meditate on what God has already said in His Word. The enemy wants your imagination captured by fear. God wants your imagination renewed by truth. Your Future Does Not Belong to Fear Many people have lived so long under fear that they assume it will always define them. It will not. You can be free. Your life does not have to be governed by fear of sickness. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of lack. Fear of loss. Fear of the future. God did not create you to live tormented. He created you to live in His Kingdom, under His rule, with His peace, and in the confidence of His promises. The future belongs to those who believe what God says more than what fear suggests. So, start again. Open your Bible. Find out who you really are. Train your mind in truth. Reject the lie. Hold onto His promises. And refuse to let fear write a story God never wrote for you. A Simple Prayer Father, Thank You for not giving me a spirit of fear. Thank You for giving me power, love, and a sound mind. Help me recognize every lie the enemy tries to plant in my thoughts. Teach me to renew my mind with Your Word and to reject every imagination that rises against the truth of who You are and who I am in Christ. Strengthen me to stand on Your promises, speak with authority, and live in the freedom You have given me. In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.