The Daily CHEW™
Moving God’s Love from Head to Heart for Christian Professionals
A Fresh Year, A Deeper Experience of Love
This New Year is a fresh invitation to experience more of what is already true: in Christ, you are a new creation, loved, secure, and invited into a deeper life with God. Scripture describes this life as Christ dwelling in our hearts through faith so that we are “rooted and grounded in love.” That means 2026 is not about becoming lovable, but about growing roots into a love that is already yours.
As those roots go deeper, God’s love moves from something you affirm in your mind to something you sense in your bones—shaping how you think, decide, relate, and rest. A year rooted in His love becomes a year of quiet confidence, steady hope, and increasing freedom, even as life remains imperfect and unpredictable.
What It Means to Live “Head to Heart”
Many believers genuinely know that God loves them, yet long to experience that love more fully in everyday life. “Head to heart” is simply the journey of letting the truth of the Gospel—what Christ has already done—soak into real emotions, stories, and habits so that love becomes a lived reality, not just a statement of faith.
Ephesians 3 paints a picture of this: Christ making His home in your heart, your life rooted and grounded in love, and you growing in the ability to grasp “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” This New Year, the goal is not to try harder for God but to make more room in your inner life for the One who already lives there, letting His love shape your identity, choices, and relationships.
Practical Ways to Live “Head to Heart” in 2026
Here are simple, hope-filled practices for the year that help God’s love travel from head to heart:
- 1. Start Each Day as “Loved First”
- 2. Have Your Identity Lead Your Goals
- 3. Build Rhythms That Remind You, Not Pressure You
- 4. Bring God into Real Moments, Not Just Quiet Ones
CHEW On This™: Practice Moving God’s Love from Head to Heart
Pause at each CHEW step below. Reflect, and answer in your own words—you’ll see a sample below each question. This is where the Gospel gets personal.
Confess
Question: What are you feeling, fearing, or hiding from God right now?
Sample Answer:
“When I fail at home, I quietly replay my mistakes, feeling like I’m beyond help. I hide my shame and work harder to prove myself, but it never fills the void.”
Opening your heart this way is not about earning a response; it is about God meeting you in the very places He already knows and loves you.
Hear
Question: What does God’s Word say about His love and verdict in this area (or what Scriptural truth comes to mind when you think about this area)?
Sample Answer:
“‘There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 8:1). I hear that through Christ, my failures no longer define my standing with God. He speaks forgiveness, not shame.”
Hearing God’s Word spoken into a specific struggle begins to reshape your inner dialogue, gently trading old stories for the truth of the Gospel.
Exchange
“If I truly trusted God’s love is steadfast and unchanging, how would that shift how I see and treat myself in this right now?”
Sample Answer:
“If I am clothed in Christ’s love and my worth is secure in Him, I could stop holding old guilt and start leaning into grateful freedom. I wouldn’t have to perform; I could rest.”
Here you are trading a smaller, fear-shaped picture of yourself and God for the larger, joyful reality the Gospel announces over you.
Walk
Question: What is one practical step (10 minutes or less) that embodies trust in God’s love instead of old patterns?
Sample Answer:
“When regret rises, I’ll pause and pray, ‘Father, remind me I’m held by You and not alone in this.’ Then I’ll take one action that reflects that truth—maybe reach out to someone or journal what I’m learning about His grace.”
Walking this out in small ways is how 2026 becomes a year of lived transformation—your choices, words, and reactions slowly aligning with the love you’re learning to trust.
7 Ways to Experience God’s Love (Real-World Strategies That Change Your Heart)
Here’s how you can actively trust and experience God’s love—not just work harder.
- Rest in the Identity You Already Have
- Why: In Christ, you are a new creation; your value is anchored in His finished work, not your latest achievement.
- How: Begin each week by reading 2 Corinthians 5:17 or Ephesians 1 and thanking God for specific truths about who you are in Him.
- Scenario: You look at your calendar and say, “I am already loved and chosen,” then plan your week as a loved person, not someone trying to earn that status.
- Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 1:3–6.
- Christ’s Love is the Loudest Voice
- Why: Many voices compete for your identity, but Scripture invites you to be “rooted and grounded in love,” using Christ’s voice to shape your core.
- How: When a critical thought arises, pause and gently ask, “What is Jesus saying about me right now?” and answer with a verse or truth you’ve memorized.
- Scenario: After a mistake, instead of “I’m a failure,” you recall, “Nothing can separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus,” and move forward with hope.
- Scripture: Ephesians 3:17–19; Romans 8:38–39.
- Turn Ordinary Moments into Love-Reminders
- Why: Daily life is full of “small windows” where you can remember God’s presence and affection, deepening your awareness of Him.
- How: Choose a few “triggers” (pouring coffee, starting your car, opening your laptop) and use them to whisper, “Thank You that You’re with me and You delight in me.”
- Scenario: As you walk into a meeting, you quietly say, “You’re here with me,” and your heart steadies as you lean into His companionship.
- Scripture: Zephaniah 3:17; Psalm 136:26.
- Use Gratitude to Draw You Closer
- Why: Thankfulness focuses your heart on God’s goodness and faithfulness, helping you notice His love at work in your story.
- How: Each evening, write down three specific ways you saw God’s kindness or provision that day—large or small.
- Scenario: You thank God for a meaningful conversation, unexpected help with a task, and a quiet moment of rest, and you go to bed more aware of being cared for.
- Scripture: Psalm 136:26; 1 Thessalonians 5:18.
- Practice Confident, Honest Prayer
- Why: You are invited to draw near with confidence because you are loved and welcomed; honest prayer deepens that experience.
- How: Talk with God about joys, desires, and hopes—not just struggles—and expect Him to care about all of it.
- Scenario: You share excitement about a new opportunity and ask for wisdom, enjoying His companionship instead of only coming when you feel desperate.
- Scripture: Hebrews 4:16; Philippians 4:6–7.
- Root Your Confidence in God’s Love, Not Circumstances
- Why: Circumstances shift, but God’s love and faithfulness remain steady; placing your confidence there brings lasting security.
- How: When plans change or uncertainty rises, affirm, “This may change, but Your love for me does not,” and breathe that truth in.
- Scenario: A door closes unexpectedly, and instead of panicking, you say, “Lord, You are with me and for me,” and look for where He is leading next.
- Scripture: Romans 8:38–39; Psalm 136:26.
- Choose a “Word of the Year” That Points to His Love
- Why: A single, prayerfully chosen word (like “Rooted,” “Beloved,” or “Rest”) can keep your focus anchored in God’s love all year.
- How: Ask God to highlight one word that reflects how He wants you to experience His love in 2026, then revisit it monthly with reflection and prayer.
- Scenario: Your word is “Beloved,” and each month you reflect on how God is teaching you to live as deeply loved, journaling specific moments and Scriptures.
- Scripture: Ephesians 3:17–19; Ephesians 1:6.
If these steps don’t seem to ‘stick’ on their own, that’s okay—sometimes God’s love becomes most real as we walk with others on the journey through wise counsel and compassionate community.
Worship Response: Turn Gratitude into Worship
Take 30 seconds—thank God for what His love has done. Worship is responding to His finished work, even when your feelings lag behind.
Prayer:
“Father, thank You that You don’t require me to earn my way home. Thank You that Christ paid it all. Help me rest in that reality today and show grace to others from the abundance You’ve given me. Amen.”
You can whisper this at the start or end of your day, letting gratitude gently realign your heart with the truth that you are already held and delighted in.
Next Steps to Grow in God’s Love
Lasting change is always relational—God moves, we respond. Share your story, join a CHEW group, or reach out for prayer.
- Join a CHEW or Head-to-Heart Group.
Walk with others who are learning to live loved, using tools like the CHEW steps to bring the Gospel into real life together. - Engage in Gospel-Centered Counseling or Coaching.
Explore your story with guides who help you connect God’s love to specific patterns, wounds, and hopes, moving truth from head to heart over time. - Go Deeper with Resources on Being Rooted in Love.
Books, devotionals, and studies on Ephesians 3 and identity in Christ can fuel your reflection and give language to what God is doing in you this year.
With you on the journey,
Ryan
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