3 Tips for Spiritual & Emotional Health in 2026

For as long as I can remember, every new year has arrived with a familiar invitation: reinvent yourself. For some, it means setting new goals; for others, trying harder; and for even more, becoming better. But as the calendar turns, I want to gently challenge that assumption.

After working with others through healing, I’ve noticed a pattern. Many Christians love Jesus sincerely, serve faithfully, and pray passionately, yet they still feel internally exhausted, emotionally reactive, or spiritually stuck. Not because they lack faith, but because parts of their soul are still carrying what was never meant to be carried alone.

God’s vision for your life has never been hype, hustle, or spiritual performance. It has always been wholeness: body, soul, and spirit.

Scripture reveals a God who is deeply concerned with the condition of the soul, not just outward obedience. As we step into 2026, the question we should ask ourselves is not, "What do I want to accomplish?" But what does God want to heal?

Let’s talk about what spiritual and emotional health actually looks like, and how we can begin walking in it in the coming year.

Tip #1: Listening to the Voice of Your Soul

One of the most spiritual things you can do in 2026 is slow down long enough to listen to what your soul has been trying to say all along. Many people were taught, intentionally or not, that acknowledging pain means weakness and that naming what they feel somehow diminishes the extent of their faith.

So instead of processing the grief, fear, or anger they feel, we spiritualize it. We quote Scripture without letting it reach the emotional wound it stems from, and we worship around the pain rather than bringing it into God’s presence.

But healing requires honesty.

“The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” (Psalm 34:18, NKJV)

Notice where God draws near, not to denial, but to brokenness, not to pretending, but to truth.

I have learned you cannot heal what you refuse to feel. Emotional awareness is not indulgence in past pain; it is wisdom in action. Choosing to listen to the voice of your soul doesn’t pull you away from God; it positions you to encounter Him more deeply.

I automatically think of how the Psalms are raw because healing is raw. Elijah’s exhaustion in the wilderness reminds us that even great faith doesn’t cancel human limits. Even Jesus Himself did not bypass the anguish he felt in Gethsemane; He acknowledged it, surrendered it, and entrusted it to the Father.

Freedom begins where awareness is allowed!

Tip #2: Closing Doors That No Longer Belong Open

Not every struggle you will face in 2026 will be demonic, but the enemy is always looking for access:

• Unforgiveness that was never dealt with becomes access.

• Trauma that was survived but never healed becomes an open door.

• Thought patterns that formed in pain and quietly became beliefs/lies are places of spiritual influence.

Must say these are not personality traits; they are open doors!

In 2026, we must always remember that the enemy does not need ownership if he can maintain access. And the access that he desires is often sustained not by dramatic oppression, but by unresolved issues we’ve learned to live with.

In the coming year, let’s proclaim the truth that Biblical freedom is rarely theatrical. More often, it is deeply intentional as it looks like:

• Choosing forgiveness before emotions catch up.

• Renouncing lies you once needed to survive.

• Repentance, not as shame, but as a realignment of the heart.

This year, let’s make deliverance not about volume, but about godly decisions.

Because when we choose to close the doors to the enemy in our life, doors close, peace returns; not because life suddenly becomes easy, but because the enemy no longer has permission to stay.

Tip #3: Trading Spiritual Moments for Sustainable Rhythms

Too often, I have witnessed many people build their faith around moments such as conferences, emotional worship, or breakthrough prayers. While I believe moments matter, they were never meant to carry the full weight of emotional and spiritual transformation.

This passage gives us a secret to wholeness: trees grow slowly, quietly, and consistently. When we choose spiritual and emotional health, it means we choose to cultivate holy rhythms through:

• Prayer that makes room for honesty, not performance.

• Scripture that renews thinking, not just informs theology.

• Rest that honors limits instead of resisting them.

• A community that allows you to be known, not just admired.

The healing God desires us to walk in in 2026 will not come from intensity alone. It will come from consistency. Because what you practice daily shapes what you carry long-term.

A Different Way Forward

As you look toward 2026, I want to challenge you to resist the pressure to reinvent yourself. Instead, allow God to restore you.

This is not a call to self-improvement; it is an invitation to inner restoration. Because a healed soul produces a steadier faith, a healthier heart carries greater peace, and a whole person reflects the gospel more clearly than a striving one ever could.

If you’re ready to go deeper:

·      Visit OneIdentityMovement.com

·      Download the free book that outlines a biblical pathway to healing and freedom

·      Or book pastoral counseling if you need support walking through this season