WEEK ONE: SEEK HEAVEN FIRST

Stephen Covey once said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” So, what’s your main thing for this new year of 2026? For some, it will be to start a new habit, lose some weight, get into shape, spend more time with family, work on relationships, or maybe just get through another year. For others it may be to accomplish something they haven’t done before. Unfortunately, way too often the main thing becomes decreasingly important the further we get into the year. But what if 2026 could be different? What if this year the “main thing” stuck?

There is a way that what we want most can (and will) become possible, but it starts with us making God’s kingdom the main thing in our life. Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Jesus had just finished telling his followers that they shouldn’t worry, that God sees even the smallest of things that happen, and that God will take care of them as well…but it required them to make God’s main thing the main thing.

I know we all struggle with this many times. What does it mean to seek God’s kingdom first? How do we do it? But it is not as difficult as we may think. It begins by putting God at the center of our lives. I’ve heard it said that where the King reigns is where the kingdom is. That means we must receive the King first. That’s where it starts. Then, it means doing our best to see things as God sees them, to hear like God hears, and to care like God cares. It means that our priorities shift from what we want to what God desires, developing good spiritual habits that grow us. God’s priorities become our priorities. Our prayers move from “God change the world” to “God please change me.”

So, what or who are you seeking right now? When you pursue God’s kingdom, he provides the rest. When you seek his kingdom, you end up in peace. When you put God’s kingdom first, he takes responsibility for what comes next. In 2026, you may not be able to control everything that happens around you, but you can give what you can control over to God.