We’re all familiar with New Year’s resolutions, and perhaps you’re also familiar with the newer trend, the “word for the year,” where you identify a key growth word that helps focus your attention on big-picture challenges. Stores are stocked with calendars and other planning tools to help us kick off the new year right, while fitness gear is front and center.
It’s natural to do this—the start of a fresh new year often prompts us to look within and explore measures to stay disciplined or achieve important personal goals.
But instead of personal goals and resolutions, what if we took a different approach to the new year? Instead of focusing on self-oriented strivings, what if we turned our attention to the tool God provided for us long ago—his holy word, the Bible—and trusted that to lead us in the right direction? What if instead of remembering our resolutions, we remember the words of 12 Bible verses, one for every month, that we memorize for 2025?
The Bible is chock-full of important, practical, useful, and immensely helpful material. Not only is it God’s love letter to us, his children, but it also contains sensible, realistic, and sound advice from our heavenly parent on how to live right in a fallen world.
While reading the Bible is a great way to know the Lord and familiarize ourselves with his directives (and directions), there’s also something to be said about memorizing Bible verses.
Maybe memorizing Bible verses is something you’re already accustomed to, and you understand the value of committing God’s word to your heart. Perhaps a Sunday school teacher or a parent required you to memorize scripture, and the habit took hold and never let go.
Or maybe you’re like me, never previously required or personally compelled to memorize Bible verses, and perhaps you don’t fully understand the value of such an exercise ... yet.
But there are wonderful reasons why we should strive to memorize scripture, and not just because we “have to.”
Sometimes, we don’t have a Bible on hand, and we need a verse for our own comfort or for sharing with another person. Other times, scripture memorization helps us resist temptation or stand strong in times of difficulty. As the psalmist writes in Psalm 119:11,
“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (ESV)
And still other times, scripture memorization helps us draw closer to the Lord as we meditate on his words and his love to us through the carefully crafted words of his heart.
Here, then, are 12 encouraging verses to memorize in 2025.
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January
“Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” - Proverbs 16:3
The Christian church follows what is called a “liturgical calendar,” which is a cycle of seasons all centered ultimately on celebrating and understanding the beautiful mystery that is Jesus Christ, our savior, and our friend. The different dates and festivals vary among different denominations, but most agree on several basics. For instance, Advent comprises the four weeks leading up to Christmas, when we mark Christ’s birth. After Christmas comes Epiphany, when we honor the gifts and discovery of the wise men after Christmas. Lent is a period of time between Ash Wednesday and Easter when we remember the suffering Christ endured and prepare our hearts for Easter when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. The year goes on from there, including celebrations for such notable moments in the life of Christ and Christ’s church as Ascension Day (when Christ ascended to heaven after his resurrection) or Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit first settled on the hearts of the disciples back in the first century.
January is a month of new beginnings, and not only when it comes to our calendars and the shifting from one year to another. We put our Christmas decorations away and bask in the peace that comes after the celebration of Christ’s birth, who came to us as a tiny baby and revealed the true light of God’s love.
As we set our sights on the new year and all the plans we want to make, help us remember that all our plans are nothing without the Lord. In fact, as Jesus himself told his disciples in John 15:5, he is the vine, and we are the branches, and “Apart from me you can do nothing.”
Proverbs 16:3 echoes this and helps us not only understand but be encouraged that when we are connected to the True Vine, and when we commit to the Lord our work and our passions and all we do and are, submitting to his authority in humility, then we can rest easily knowing he will establish our plans according to his will and purpose.
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February
“Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” - Luke 11:28
February 2025 is still the season of Epiphany in most Christian churches, when we pause to marvel at the discovery—or epiphany—the wise men had when they saw the star and traveled a long distance to visit, worship, and bestow gifts upon the Christ child, who they understood to be the “king of the Jews” (Matthew 2:2). These wise men were not Jewish and hailed from the East, and they further defied the king of the land by leaving for home after they encountered Jesus. They acknowledged a greater truth and heeded God, not man, even though they did not fully understand the meaning. This is something we, too, are called to.
This month’s scripture reminds us that we don’t need to understand why God issues rules or calls us to do something or any of the other mysteries of faith. Instead, we are called to obedience—to hear God’s word and do it, keep it, guard it, follow it. We are to put into practice the love, mercy, and justice our Lord desires, now and always. When we do this, we can know a comforting truth: We are blessed.
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March
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”- John 16:33
March 2025 ushers in Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the season of Lent, a 40-day period in the church when we undergo repentance, fasting, and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection, teamed with simple living as we strive to draw closer to God.
The story of Easter can sometimes be glossed over in its telling, making Jesus’s time of suffering after his arrest and then on the cross seem less painful than it was. Make no mistake: Jesus’s death for us was excruciating torture. He was betrayed, horribly beaten, ridiculed, and then nailed to a wooden cross, where he hung in agony for hours before breathing his last. It’s important during Lent to remember what Christ endured for us. His sacrifice ensured we who believe in and follow him can join him in eternity, ultimately paying our sin debt.
This month’s scripture assures us that Jesus understands suffering. He knows how difficult this world will be—both to him, to his disciples, and to us so many years later. But we can have peace when we put our trust, faith, and hope in Jesus that no matter what suffering comes our way, Christ has overcome the Lord. And we, who belong to him, are guaranteed eternity with him.
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April
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.’” - John 11:25
In April 2025, Christians around the world celebrate Easter Sunday and the events leading up to it, including Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. We celebrate the joyful truth that Emmanuel, God with us, is alive. He is the savior of the world, and though the world tried to kill him, the grave could not hold him.
This month’s verse should encourage us all. Spoken by Jesus to his friend Martha, sister of Mary and Lazarus, just before he raised Lazarus from the dead, Jesus’s words foreshadowed his own death and resurrection, as well as the resurrection we who believe in and follow Jesus are promised.
As Jesus also proclaimed in another much-beloved and often-memorized scripture, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” We who believe are assured eternal life. We do not need to fear.
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May
“In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” - John 14:2
For this month’s encouraging Bible verse, here are more words from Jesus himself, promising eternity to those who follow and believe in him. In May 2025, many Christian churches celebrate what is called Ascension Day, the day when Jesus ascended to heaven after spending 40 days on earth with his disciples after his resurrection.
We find the story of Christ’s ascension in Acts 1:6-11, and it is also mentioned briefly in Luke 24:50-53 and Mark 16:19-20. We’re told that when the disciples gathered with Jesus, he promised the Holy Spirit would come upon them and that they would be his witnesses “to the end of the earth” (v. 8). Then, as they watched, the Bible tells us, “He was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (v. 9). Two men in white robes—presumably angels—informed the disciples that Jesus would return in the same way they saw him depart.
It must have been hard for the disciples to go on without Jesus, their brother, leader, friend, and savior, leading them. But God sent the Holy Spirit to be their helper, enabling them to do the work of the church despite the great odds stacked against them. God does the same for us today. We, too, are equipped with the Holy Spirit to do God’s work on earth until our time on earth is complete.
Then, we have the assurance from Christ himself that we will join him in heaven, in one of the many rooms prepared for us in his Father’s house—that is, in heaven.
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June
“And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” - Romans 5:5
June brings Pentecost Sunday, the day in the church year when Christians remember and celebrate the Holy Spirit. Part of the triune God—Father, Son, and Spirit, three in one—the Holy Spirit lives in the hearts of every believer. We can find the story of that first coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:1-41, when scripture tells us that on the day of Pentecost, all the believers were gathered together when a sound came like a “mighty rushing wind” (v. 2) and “divided tongues of fire” rested on each of them (v. 3) as all were “filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance” (v. 4). By the time the day ended, 3,000 new believers had come to Christ, and from there the church spread and grew.
We, too, have that same promise. Ephesians 1:13 promises that when we hear the gospel and believe, we “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” Those of us sealed with the Spirit are, therefore, able to cling to the hope that Jesus Christ promises eternal life and glory in the kingdom of God.
This month’s verse encouraged us to cling to that hope, knowing God’s love is “poured into our hearts” through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Amen!
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July
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Hebrews 12:1
July is that midway point of the year, and maybe at this stage, we’re tired. Perhaps we’ve forgotten all about our New Year’s resolutions and the goals and disciplines we hoped to achieve. Perhaps we’ve let some bad habits take over, or we’re growing weary of the burdens life has sent our way.
For those of us in the northern hemisphere, it’s summertime, and perhaps we’ve let some of the good habits we’ve adopted—daily Bible reading, prayer time, even church attendance—slacken.
That’s why this month’s verse is an encouragement and a good verse to remember as a way to keep us pressing on in faith and fighting to stay in alignment with God’s will and ways.
A race is a test of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual endurance. Many people grow weary partway through and slow or even stop the race, intending to resume later. But here, the author of Hebrews urges us to press on, running “with endurance” the race before us (Hebrews 12:1). As the text continues in verse 2, we’re to run that race “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before he endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
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August
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” - Matthew 6:34
Worry about the future is a snake, weaving its tendrils into areas of our lives it doesn’t belong. It’s not difficult for petty concerns to morph into consuming anxiety if left unchecked, spiraling out of control as we breathe more oxygen into its fire.
The trouble with worry is that it can’t actually fix anything. All it can do is slowly take over our lives, shifting our focus from the Lord and what God needs us to do. It gives the illusion we can control an uncontrollable situation.
That’s why this month’s verse is so powerful. Jesus knew how tremendously consumed we humans can be by worry, anxiety, and fear. Yet in the context of this verse, Jesus reminds us that we belong to the Father, who takes care of his beloved ones. Just as he cares for the birds, he cares for us—and even more so. Instead, we should keep our focus on the Lord, who will handle our needs, and on the concerns of this moment.
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September
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” - Ephesians 2:10
I am by no means a visual artist. I often say I became a writer because I couldn’t paint or sketch, so I’m forced to paint my pictures with words. Still, during the pandemic, I spent a lot of time at home, and one of the ways I kept my sanity was by having at-home painting parties. My kids and I would spread out a plastic tablecloth, get canvases or scrap wood and acrylic paints, and try our hand at artistic creations.
I remember how each painting was precious to me. I put my heart and soul into it, and when it was finished, I displayed it on the windowsill, where I would smile every time I looked at it. Even though it had imperfections, it still brought me joy to remember the care that went into creating it and the colors I used.
That’s what this month’s verse reminds me of—how God must smile whenever he looks at us. We are his workmanship, his creation. Some Bible translations use the word “masterpiece.” Even when we go astray, he loves us still. Even when we walk away from him, he’s there, eager for us to return. He longs for a relationship with us, so much so that he finally sent his son Jesus to show us the way.
Sometimes, we get caught up in comparing ourselves to others, feeling woefully inferior compared to what we see on social media or on TV and in the movies. But God loves us as we are. Psalm 139:13 describes how he knows us perfectly and intimately, how he knitted us together in our mother's womb.
What a beautiful level of relationship, and what a tremendous act of love on our Lord‘s part, the extravagant mercy and Grace he has for each one of us.
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October
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” - John 14:6
October is one of my favorite months of the year. Where I live, it’s a great time walking trails and spending time in nature. The one critical truth that we must all remember is that of all the trails and pathways we take as individuals walking in this world, There is only one way to have it. Jesus Christ is our only path to salvation. It’s important to keep this verse in mind, as Jesus did not say he is a way to the Father, the way to the Father. He is the truth and the life. There is no other way or truth or life
Sometimes today’s world convinces us that we can write our own rules, or perhaps the lies that we are fed true movies and songs convince us that being a good person is enough, but if you read scripture, the Bible is very clear that we are in desperate need of Jesus. He is the only path to salvation, and without him, we are lost. Memorizing this verse is a good way to consistently remind ourselves that we need to focus on Christ and that everything else matters very little in comparison to this one critical thing.
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November
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17
In the northern hemisphere, November is typically a chilly month. Leaves fall from the trees, and limbs grow bare. Winter sets in, and with it the new cycle of death and closure. Animals hunker down and prepare for a time of relative scarcity. In the southern hemisphere, it’s typically spring, with pleasant weather and blooming wildflowers. The cycle has changed in a different way. Either way, change is constant in nature.
As believers, we can draw much understanding from these seasonal changes—especially from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth … or new life.
That’s what this month’s verse underscores—the understanding that we, too, change radically. Even more radical than the change from spring to summer to autumn to winter is the change we experience in our soul when we become Christians. Indeed, we are an entirely new creation. And because of that, we can be called children of God.
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December
“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” - Luke 19:10
God knew we humans couldn’t possibly work hard enough or be good enough to earn our way to heaven on our own. So he sent his Son, Jesus, to be the path to our salvation. As October’s verse proclaims, Jesus is “the way.” He came so that we could be forgiven of our sins and be able to join him in heaven when we die, so long as we choose to believe in and follow him.
That’s why this month’s verse is such an encouragement. Jesus intentionally gathered with sinners, and many of these men and women changed their hearts and lives—that is, they repented—and began to follow him. In the context of this month’s verse, Jesus has just been criticized for dining at the house of the chief tax collector, Zacchaeus, a known sinner. But Jesus, knowing their grumbles and complaints, addressed this, proclaiming his purpose on earth was to seek and save the lost.
He said much the same in Luke 5:31-32, noting, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”
Jesus had a mission: Save the lost. That includes you and me.
These are only 12 of the many verses throughout scripture worthy of storing up in our hearts through memorization (Psalm 119:11). Pray about whether God wants you to memorize even more than these, and may he bless you as you strive to draw closer to him in this way.
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Originally published Monday, 13 January 2025.