Daily Devo

Increase -vs- Decrease

By: John Carrigan

Friday, January 9, 2026

He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30 (NASB)

John knew that as Jesus' ministry grew, his would diminish. That same concept is true for all Christ followers. After salvation, Christ's presence in our lives must increase, and our "old way of thinking" must decrease. Prioritizing Jesus is a critical part of following Him. It helps us serve Him, and it helps us recognize who's truly in charge of our lives. If we call ourselves a Christian, our life is no longer about us, it's about Jesus! In other words, everything we think, say, and do must reflect Christ.

Following Jesus means giving God control of our lives, but that doesn’t mean we just throw our hands up and "wing it." Someone once said: "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans." That statement reminds us that our plans are futile, and they will never match His. To fulfill His plans, we must remain humble, flexible, and acknowledge that His plan is always best. Our challenge? To align what we're currently doing with what God wants us to do.

God honors thoughtful and intentional decision making. He even gave us His Word as a guide. He knows our future, so He is the best guide we could ask for. When we integrate Biblical principles into every aspect of our lives, it honors God and it will help us effectively align our lives with God's plans. The start of a new year is a wonderful time to reflect on our lives. We can evaluate the past year to see how far we’ve come. We can also assess areas for improvement and set goals for the future.

Establishing a goal is the first step, but the hard part is determining how to get there. But remember, God is your personal guide. Pray, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal how the principles you're being taught at church can be applied in your personal life. We're all a "work in progress" but we can't use that as an excuse to be spiritually lazy. None of us are perfect, so I admit I can be lazy about letting go of something God told me to change or get rid of. A common are of "laziness" we all share is taking a step of faith, especially when the destination is unclear.

In 2026 I want to filter my actions and my inactions through the filter of: Will this glorify God? Will this increase His presence in my life or decrease it? As our opening scripture says, He must increase, we must decrease. Learning to put God first has eternal benefits!