Subtitle: Ask God what He wants you to be like for 2026, and then ask Him to work His will in you.

Excerpt: 2 Samuel 14:26 encourages aligning life changes with God’s higher standard, seeking His guidance for the new year.

Author: Rich Holt

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from 2 Samuel 14:26, “And when he cut the hair of his head – at the end of every year he cut it because it was heavy on him – when he cut it, he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels according to the king’s standard.”

Background

I’m supposed to get a haircut today. No, not because my hair weighs two hundred shekels, or five pounds, like Absalom’s did. In fact, my overly long hair more closely resembles one of those erasers you put on the end of a pencil than it does a long, flowing mane of hair. My short hairstyle just doesn’t lend itself to looking decent once it gets beyond a certain length. And once it reaches this point, I generally tell my wife, who cuts my hair, that I either need a haircut, or else I need a red rubber nose and big, floppy shoes to complete the clown outfit. Either way, something’s got to give. With only a few days until the new year, chances are that many of you will very soon be doing things differently or making some changes far more significant than getting a haircut. Eating habits, exercise routines, attitudes regarding something particular, and ways to spend free time are customary things that individuals resolve to improve upon come the turn of the calendar. And they do it, to rework a phrase from Absalom’s account, because they weigh heavy on them. There is some level of guilt or frustration or discontent that moves them to make the change. And this inclination is a good thing. But as we all know, as good as the inclination might be, it is highly susceptible to outside influences. Unless, I believe, it is pursued in light of something greater. And this touchstone, to borrow again from Absalom, must be “the king’s standard.”

Application

External changes and lifestyle improvements can be profitable, just as health and happiness are important. But when the motivation wanes, one needs the call of the King to carry them further. And this strength through the Holy Spirit comes when our goals and pursuits are of an eternal nature. So when you’re considering what you want to look like come next December 31, keep in mind the standards of the King, and cut off what might weigh heavy when placed in His balance.

Charge

As we seek Him today, ask God what He wants you to be like for 2026, and then ask Him to work His will in you.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words