January has a way of filling up quickly.
Fresh starts, new routines, old pressures, and the steady hum of everyday life can make it hard to actually hear anything…much less the gentle, steady voice of God.
But Scripture reminds us again and again that God often speaks in ways we only notice when we slow down, in the quiet, the ordinary, the overlooked moments we usually rush past.
This month is an invitation to do something countercultural: to pause, breathe, soften your pace, and tune your attention toward the God who is already near.
These prompts are designed to help you notice Him – in your thoughts, your emotions, your desires, your day-to-day rhythms, and the places you might normally miss.
May this month help you begin the year not by doing more, but by listening more deeply.
January’s Journal Prompts
January 1
“Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10, ESV)
Where do you sense God inviting you to “be still” this year? What makes it hard for you to slow down?
Abiding in the Storm: How To Be Still When Life Won’t Settle
January 2
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:27, ESV)
Where in your life are you hearing God’s voice or direction right now? Where do you want to hear it?
The Ministry of Noticing: Tuning In to God, Your Life, Your Heart, and the People Around You
January 3
“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15, ESV)
Where do you need more quietness and trust right now? What might “returning” to God look like today?
January 4
“Let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Habakkuk 2:20, ESV)
What noises, internal or external, drown out God’s voice for you? How can you create a pocket of silence today?
Faithful Open-Handed Living: The Balance Of Being Intentional & Interruptible
January 5
“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” (James 4:8, ESV)
What helps you feel close to God? Write about one small way you can intentionally draw near to Him this week.
How to Build Consistent Quiet Times That Actually Fit Your Life
January 6
“The Lord is near to all who call on him.” (Psalm 145:18, ESV)
Where do you currently feel God’s nearness? Where do you long for it?
January 7
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119:105, ESV)
What part of your life feels unclear or confusing right now? Write a prayer, asking Him to light your path.
How To Do A Brain Dump: Decluttering Your Mind To Hear From God More Clearly
January 8
“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.” (Psalm 143:10, ESV)
Ask God to teach you today. Then notice: what stands out, stirs you, or catches your attention?
January 9
“Call to me and I will answer you.” (Jeremiah 33:3, ESV)
What question, concern, or longing do you want to bring to God today?
El Roi – The God Who Sees Me
January 10
“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love.” (Psalm 143:8, ESV)
What helps you begin your day with a posture of listening rather than rushing?
January 11
“He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:3, ESV)
Where does your soul feel worn or tired? What might restoration look like right now?
Working Hard vs. Powering Through: How To Lean Into God’s Strength In Life’s Demands
January 12
“Speak, for your servant hears.” (1 Samuel 3:10, ESV)
Write a simple prayer of openness. What would it look like to live today with this posture? (stick figures count, too!)
January 13
“The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.” (Psalm 37:23, ESV)
Where do you sense God directing your steps, even subtly, in this season? Where might your delight in the Lord be leading you?
January 14
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13, ESV)
What helps your heart stay soft, open, and attentive to God? How can you seek Him more wholeheartedly today?
Wholehearted Bible Study: Loving God with All Your Heart, Soul, Mind & Strength
January 15
“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15, ESV)
What helps you distinguish God’s voice from your own thoughts, fears, or assumptions? Where does it feel muddled right now?
January 16
“The counsel of the Lord stands forever.” (Psalm 33:11, ESV)
Where are you seeking God’s guidance right now? Write a prayer and listen for His response.
January 17
“Search me, O God, and know my heart.” (Psalm 139:23, ESV)
What emotions are sitting close to the surface today? What might they be revealing?
6 Steps To Processing Your Emotions With God
January 18
“He leads me beside still waters.” (Psalm 23:2, ESV)
Where are the “still waters” in your life – the moments or places that quiet your mind and settle your heart?
January 19
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” (Proverbs 3:5, ESV)
Where is trust coming easily right now? Where is it difficult? Ask God to meet you in both.
January 20
“Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” (Matthew 6:8, ESV)
Is there a need you haven’t brought to God yet? Talk to Him about it.
From Scarcity to Abundance: Inviting God Into Your Mindset
January 21
“If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25, ESV)
Where do you feel rushed or out of sync? What might “keeping in step” look like today?
January 22
“Deep calls to deep.” (Psalm 42:7, ESV)
What deeper longings or questions have been rising in you lately? How might God be stirring them?
When Hope Feels Hard: What Deep Faith Really Looks Like
January 23
“Set your minds on things that are above.” (Colossians 3:2, ESV)
What thoughts have been dominating your mind recently? Which ones draw you closer to God?
January 24
“The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.” (Exodus 14:14, ESV)
Where are you trying to fix or control something? Ask God to fight for you, showing you what your role looks like there.
January 25
“He awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.” (Isaiah 50:4, ESV)
What has God been teaching you recently through Scripture, conversations, or small, ordinary moments?
January 26
“Commit your way to the Lord.” (Psalm 37:5, ESV)
What part of your life or schedule needs to be re-committed to God as the year begins?
January 27
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.” (Colossians 3:15, ESV)
Where do you feel peace today? Where do you feel tension? Notice both with God.
January 28
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8, ESV)
What helps clear the noise, clutter, and distraction from your inner world so you can see God more clearly?
How to Stop Shame Spirals with Gentle, Jesus-Centered Thought Boundaries
January 29
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” (1 Corinthians 14:33, ESV)
Where are you feeling confused lately? Ask God to bring clarity into that place.
Peace for Troubled Hearts: Finding Comfort in John 14
January 30
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4, ESV)
Where are you craving God’s voice, wisdom, or presence? Write about that hunger.
January 31
“You make known to me the path of life.” (Psalm 16:11, ESV)
Looking back over the month, where have you noticed God speaking, nudging, comforting, or guiding you?
Raising Your Ebenezer: How Remembering God’s Faithfulness Strengthens Your Faith
A Blessing for January
May this new year draw your heart into deeper stillness – the kind that softens the noise around you and quiets the rush within you.
May you become more aware of the God who is already near, speaking through Scripture, through the stirring in your soul, and through the small moments you once might have overlooked.
May His whisper become familiar, His presence comforting, and His guidance steady and clear as you walk with Him.
And may your intimacy with and responsiveness to God shape every step you take in the days ahead.
soveryblessed.com (Article Sourced Website)
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