It’s a new year, and if you’ve been in church for any length of time, you’ve probably heard the phrase “pray in the new year.” For some of us, that meant a late night at church, worship, prayer, and trying not to fall asleep before the clock hit midnight.
These days, I think “praying in the new year” can mean something even more practical. It can mean starting the year with God at the center of your work, not just your weekends. Not just your personal life, but your calendar, your decisions, your team, your clients, your finances, and your next steps.
On the January 6, 2026 episode of the 2000 Cubit Rule Podcast, I sat down with Dayn Benson, co-founder of PrayingBusiness.com, to talk about exactly that: how Christian business owners can begin the year with prayer that produces clarity, peace, and real alignment with heaven.
This is what stood out most, plus a simple prayer rhythm you can use starting today.
Why praying in the new year matters for business
A lot of business planning starts from the same place: last year’s numbers and this year’s pressure.
- “We did X last year, can we do 10% more?”
- “What if we lose momentum?”
- “What if payroll gets tight?”
- “What if the market shifts?”
- “What if competitors outpace us?”
Some of that is normal leadership responsibility. But Dayn said something that hit me hard.
If the initiative is coming from fear, even subtly, it shapes everything. Your goals, your tone, your relationships, your stress level, and how you treat the people around you.
Praying in the new year is an invitation to let heaven set the initiative, not fear.
The shift: from goals to listening
Dayn pointed to Habakkuk 2:2 in conversation, the idea of “write it down and make it plain.”
Here’s the key: the writing comes after the listening.
Not brainstorming first, then asking God to bless it. Not setting resolutions first, then hoping prayer will add power.
It’s stopping, listening, writing what you sense God saying, then moving forward with Him.
That rhythm is how business becomes partnership instead of performance.
A simple prayer rhythm for Christian business owners
If you want a practical way to “pray in the new year,” here’s a simple framework we talked around, and I’ll keep it straightforward.
1) Start with a listening question (not a lecture)
Try one of these:
- Lord, what do You want for my business in 2026?
- Jesus, what do You want me to focus on first?
- Holy Spirit, what am I missing that You want to highlight?
- Father, what needs to be simplified so we can run with it?
Then pause. Give it time. Don’t rush to fill the silence.
2) Write it down (make it plain)
This is where things change. Writing forces clarity.
Dayn shared that many business owners unintentionally create a “prayer journal” simply by keeping track of what they sense God saying and what they are asking Him for. Over time, that becomes a record of faith, answered prayers, direction, and growth.
If you’re not a natural journaler, don’t worry. You’re not trying to write poetry. You’re capturing guidance.
Write down:
- What you asked
- What you sensed
- Any scripture that comes to mind
- Next step (if one is clear)
3) Choose one obedient step
A lot of anxiety comes from trying to solve the whole year in January.
Instead, ask: What’s one obedient step for this week?
It might be a conversation you’ve been avoiding. A decision you’ve been delaying. A relationship you need to repair. A process you need to simplify. A habit you need to stop. A new initiative you need to begin.
4) Revisit weekly, and watch for God’s “nuggets”
Dayn said something that I think every leader needs to hear: encouragement is not optional.
God often strengthens us with little reminders:
- “Remember when you prayed for this?”
- “Look what I did there.”
- “I’m still with you.”
Those reminders keep you from drifting into discouragement or striving. If you track them, you build a personal library of God’s faithfulness.
Real-world testimonies: what prayer looks like in business
One of the most encouraging parts of the conversation was hearing what Dayn and his team are seeing through PrayingBusiness.com.
They pray for businesses weekly, and they’ve seen answers that range from simple to stunning, without needing to publicize private details.
Examples Dayn mentioned included:
- Provision arriving in time, including payroll situations that looked impossible on paper
- Physical healing, including backs, knees, and even heart-related breakthroughs over time
- Practical needs like rain in a region where power depended on water levels, and then rain arriving after months
- Favor and intervention at higher levels when businesses were dealing with corruption or obstacles outside their control
That’s not “business magic.” That’s God being God, and business leaders choosing to partner with Him.
The deeper issue: believing God wants to work with you
Dayn said something I’ve seen in my own journey too:
Some people know God wants to be involved in work, but they don’t believe it in a personal, lived way. That gap between “I know” and “I’m convinced” is where most of the struggle happens.
It takes surrender. It takes trust. It takes repeated practice.
But when it clicks, you stop seeing prayer as a religious add-on, and you start seeing it as the operating system.
Fear-based planning vs faith-led partnership
Here’s a helpful diagnostic question for January:
Is my plan being driven by fear, or by faith?
Fear says:
- “If I don’t control this, it will collapse.”
- “If I don’t hustle, I will fall behind.”
- “If I don’t protect myself, I’ll get hurt.”
Faith says:
- “God establishes my steps.”
- “God can give clarity in minutes that I can’t manufacture in months.”
- “God is not stressed about my year.”
Proverbs 16:9 says it plainly: we can plan, but the Lord directs the steps. The goal is not to stop planning. The goal is to plan with open hands and listen for direction.
A prayer you can pray today
If you want a simple prayer to start 2026, pray something like this:
Father, I want this year to be Your year in my work. Quiet the noise, remove fear, and give me clarity. Show me what You want me to focus on, and give me the faith to obey the next step. Establish my steps, and let my business produce fruit that lasts. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Practical next step: get prayer support and build the rhythm
If you’re a business owner and you want prayer support, Dayn and his team run a prayer registry at PrayingBusiness.com where businesses can request prayer.
Get Dayn and Heidi’s book, Wake Up At Work! Heaving God in the Office on Amazon.
He also mentioned a free resource they posted: “How to Pray for Your Kids.” Even though it’s written in a family context, the framework can apply to praying for people in general, and it’s a great reminder that business and family are often more connected than we like to admit.
Final thought: write it down so you can run
If there’s one takeaway I’d want you to keep, it’s this:
Don’t rush into the year with noise. Start with listening. Write it down. Then run with what God actually said.
That’s how you pray in the new year, and it’s how you build without burning out.