Pray one Bible verse for all of 2026

(Download wallpapers below).

In our “swipe-right” culture, we are addicted to the linear progression of “more.” We want to read more chapters, finish more devotionals, and check off more spiritual goals. Sometimes we can even treat reading our Bibles like a race to be run.

But what if the goal isn’t to get through the Word, but to let the Word get through to us?

What if, for this entire year, you read just one verse?!

The “slow thinking” of the soul

In her book Our Unforming, Cindy S Lee challenges the Western obsession with linear progress — the idea that our spiritual lives should always be an upward-trending line of “improvement.” She notes that while Western students often visualize happiness as a straight line moving upward, many Eastern cultures see life as cyclical.

When we apply this to Scripture, we move away from “progress” and toward “wholeness.” This is “slow thinking” for the soul. Instead of rushing to the next chapter to feel productive, we sit in the cyclical rhythm of a single truth.

One Year, One Truth: Isaiah 43:1

This will be our one verse for the year:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine.” (Isaiah 43:1)

By spending a year meditating on the single verse, you aren’t just reading words; you are “unforming” the need to perform.

• January – March: Begin by meditating on “Do not fear.” Let this sit with you during the dark mornings and anxieties of a new year.

• April – June: Now move to “I have redeemed you.” Contemplate the messy and tangled web of your past, and how God has already bought you back from this.

• July – September: Sit with “I have called you by name.” Practice hearing your name spoken by the Creator, moving away from the shame and guilt of “not doing enough.”

• October – December: Rest in the promise “You are mine.” Realise that your value isn’t measured by your spiritual “production,” but by your belonging to God as His child.

Why slow meditation works

• It unforms perfection: By sitting with just a few words, we stop measuring our faith by milestones of “progress” and start measuring it by presence.

• It embraces the cycle: Some days you will feel “redeemed;” other days you will feel the “fear.” Returning to the same words allows you to meet the Truth in every season.

• It deepens identity: Instead of rushing to the next command, you spend 365 days hearing God say: "You are mine."

  
  

Spiritual formation is not about checking a box; it is the slow, repetitive work of returning to the centre — Jesus Christ and his Word to you. This year, give yourself permission to go slow. Let these few words be the endless circle that holds you.

Start praying today

• Grab a fridge magnet or bookmark from the Worship Centre Foyer.

• Download a wallpaper for your mobile phone or desktop computer.

• Contribute to the devotional resource (to be published in February 2026):

  • Write a ¾ A4 page devotional reflection on Isaiah 43:1.

  • Consider including some discussion questions and prayer prompts.

  • Email your reflections to the Church Office by 31st January 2026.