There is something sacred about the threshold of a new season.
Whether it’s the start of a new year, a shift in calling, the ending of one chapter and the beginning of another, or simply a quiet sense that something is changing, seasons invite us to pause. They call us to listen. They ask us to pay attention to what God might be forming beneath the surface before anything new takes shape. Most of us, however, move too quickly through these thresholds. We rush to make plans, set goals, and fill calendars. We default to doing before we have given ourselves space to be… and dwell deeply in the Lord. And yet, Scripture consistently invites us into a different rhythm — one where being with God precedes doing for God.
The Invitation to Anchor
Jesus’ words in John 15 are both tender and uncompromising:
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me… apart from me you can do nothing.”
Not less.
Not a little.
Nothing.
NO thing.
This is not a rebuke; it is an invitation. Jesus is reorienting us to the reality that fruitfulness flows from abiding, not striving. Life flows from dwelling in Christ, not our own efforts. And yet, so much of our leadership, discipleship, and daily life is built on the opposite assumption — that we must produce, perform, and prove ourselves faithful through constant motion. New seasons expose this tension. They reveal where our rhythms are aligned with God and where they have drifted. They show us where we are abiding and where we are running on empty.
That is why anchoring rhythms of reflection matter so deeply.
Reflection as Alignment, Not Self-Improvement
Reflection is not self-analysis for the sake of optimization. It is not another productivity hack. Christian reflection is an act of alignment — a way of bringing our lives back into harmony with the Spirit’s leading.
The psalmist prays, “Search me, O God, and know my heart.” Reflection creates space for that prayer to be more than words. It slows us down enough to notice what is forming within us — desires, fears, resistance, weariness, and hope. Anchoring rhythms help us ask better questions:
- What is God drawing my attention to in this season?
- Where am I living from rest, and where am I striving?
- What rhythms are nourishing my soul — and which ones are draining it?
- Is my doing flowing from being, or has my doing replaced being?
When we create space to listen, we begin to attune to the Spirit. We notice gentle invitations instead of loud obligations. We discern where God is shaping us rather than simply reacting to demands around us.
Abiding Is a Practice, Not a Concept
Abiding is not a theological idea we agree with; it is a rhythm we practice. It looks like:
- creating space for silence and prayer
- resisting the urge to fill every moment
- paying attention to what brings life and what diminishes it
- choosing faithfulness over frenzy
- letting our identity in Christ ground our activity in the world
Abiding is often slow. It is deeply countercultural. And it is absolutely essential for leaders, disciples, and anyone who wants to live a rooted life in a distracted age. When we don’t practice abiding, we begin to live disconnected from the Vine. We may still produce activity, but the fruit loses its life. We may still lead, but we do so from exhaustion. We may still serve, but resentment creeps in unnoticed. Anchoring rhythms are what re-root us when life pulls us off center.
Doing as Overflow, Not Obligation
One of the most freeing truths of the gospel is this: God is not asking us to produce fruit apart from Him. He is inviting us to bear fruit with Him — fruit that grows naturally from union.
Ephesians 2:10 reminds us that God has already prepared good works for us to walk in. Our role is not to invent them but to discern them. And discernment requires space. When we begin a new season with reflection, we are able to:
- say yes to the right things
- say no without guilt
- move at the pace of grace
- engage our calling with joy instead of pressure
Doing becomes response instead of reaction. Mission becomes overflow instead of obligation.
This is how sustainable faith and leadership are formed.
Creating Space to Listen
Most people don’t need better goals. They need better listening. We live in a world that trains us to move fast, consume more, and measure success by output. But the kingdom of God grows in quieter ways — through faithfulness, attentiveness, and presence.
Anchoring rhythms give us permission to:
- pause long enough to notice what God is doing in us before asking what He wants to do through us
- acknowledge our limits without shame
- embrace rest as obedience
- re-center our lives around Christ instead of productivity
This is especially important at the beginning of a new year or season. Transitions are holy ground. They are moments when God is often doing His deepest work beneath the surface, shaping roots before fruit appears.
From Reflection to Intentional Next Steps
Reflection is not meant to end in awareness alone. It leads us into intentional obedience. As we listen, we begin to sense where God is inviting us to:
- grow
- release
- persevere
- pivot
- simplify
- step forward in faith
That is why reflection and planning belong together — not as a rigid roadmap, but as a prayerful response to what God has already revealed. When we anchor ourselves in Christ first, our next steps become clearer, lighter, and more aligned. We stop chasing every opportunity and start stewarding the ones God has placed in front of us.
A Gentle Invitation for This Season
As you enter this new season — whether marked by a calendar, a calling shift, or an inner nudge — I want to invite you to begin differently.
Begin with abiding.
Begin with listening.
Begin with reflection that aligns you with the Spirit’s work.
And then, from that place of union, move forward with clarity and peace.
To help you do that, here are two simple reflection tools for you to download use them in your own time, with your journal, or even with a small group or leadership team.
- Anchoring Rhythms Reflection (PDF)
A guided space for listening, discernment, and intentional alignment
Anchoring Rhythms - Next Steps & Development Plan (PDF)
A simple framework and companion guide for turning reflection into faithful next steps that flow from what God has been stirring in your soul.
Next Steps & Development Plan
Missional Mayhem 