A new year brings fresh plans and new possibilities. But what if the year behind you was painful? What if disappointment or loss has made trusting God for the future feel incredibly hard? How do we exercise faith when our confidence has been shaken?

How do we plan wisely for a new year while still living surrendered to God? Is there a way to hold vision in one hand and trust in the other? And what about unbelief? Can faith and doubt live in the same heart?

In Gospel of Mark chapter 9, a desperate father cries out to Jesus, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” That honest prayer reminds us that faith isn’t the absence of doubt—it’s bringing our doubt to God. So what is God’s role in growing our faith? What is ours? And what do we do when our faith feels smaller than a mustard seed?

As we step into 2026, we won’t ignore the tension between planning and surrender—we’ll lean into it. Because maybe faith isn’t certainty for the whole year. Maybe it’s trusting God daily for the next step. If you’re stepping into this year hopeful, hesitant, or barely holding on—this conversation is for you.

Luke Hulley and Dan Barnard, elders who lead congregations in the life of JoshGen, encourage us to find faith for 2026… together.