new year devotional | Devotions by Chris Hendrix

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December 30, 2025 · 5:52 AM

Changing Targets

As I think about goals and targets for the next year, I can’t help but think of Matthew Emmons. He was an Olympian in the 2004 games. He was so far ahead of everyone in the 50 meter three position rifle event that all he had to do was hit the target to win gold. He lined up his sights, squeezed the trigger and hit the bullseye. However, his score didn’t change. He looked through his scope again to confirm. There it was still. Bullseye. He realized there was no applause either. That’s when it was told that he cross fired into someone else’s target. He ended up eighth place in the event. His story reminds us that we can hit the bullseye on the wrong target in life too.

In Mark 10:17, Jesus was walking down the road when a young man ran up and knelt down before Him. The young man asked what he should do to inherit eternal life. Jesus quoted several of the Ten Commandments. The guy got excited and said that he had observed them since he was little, but he felt like there was a greater target to hit. Jesus told him to sell all he had, give it to the poor and follow Him. That young man walked away sad because his other target was wealth and he hit the bullseye. He didn’t want to give up his target for God’s. We don’t know what became of him, but he is a cautionary tale of someone who had the wrong target in life and refused to change.

Psalm 25:4 is a prayer that says, “Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow” (NLT). We can all pray this prayer over the next year or our next steps. However, like the rich, young ruler, we will then have to make a choice. Will we keep going down the path we’ve started down or will we change paths and targets? You can make excuses about how much time and effort you put into the wrong target, but at the end of the day it’s still not God’s target for you. You can walk away sad from what God has for you or you can switch targets and follow God’s road to victory. There are plenty of people who have gone through their lives aiming at the wrong things. As you reset and take aim for the next year, make sure it’s the target God has for you.

Photo by Grok

Planting Seeds Of Change

As we head into another year, I like to both look back at the last one and ahead to the new one. Each year brings its own set of changes that we didn’t plan for or anticipate. We can only react to those things as they come. However, there are things we can be proactive about that create our own change for the future. My favorite quote says, “I don’t measure my day by the harvest that I bring in. Instead I measure it by the seeds that I plant. For in planting seeds, I ensure a future harvest.” What seeds of change are you planting for next year and beyond? What are you doing today to make tomorrow different?

In Genesis 26 it says that there was a severe famine in the land and Isaac moved to the land of the Philistines. Verse 12 says, “When Isaac planted his crops that year, he harvested a hundred times more grain than he planted, for the Lord blessed him” (NLT). He had been forced to move from circumstances beyond his co trip. He could have used that as an excuse to not plant. He could have used the famine as an excuse too, but he didn’t. Instead we see that Isaac planted seeds and reaped an incredible harvest. God blessed what he sowed. Not only did he reap a huge harvest, the next couple of verses say that he acquired lots of livestock as well.

2 Corinthians 9:6 says, “Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.” It’s easy to make excuses for not doing things today. The timing may never feel right to take risks, make changes or plant seeds. Plant anyway. God will only multiply the harvest of seeds that are planted. Even if you plant a few seeds, you will still reap a small harvest. What areas of your life do you want God to bless? Plant seeds there. What areas of growth do you want to experience? Plant seeds there. God is ready to bless and give you an increase, but you have to plant seeds. He created the law of sowing and reaping. Don’t delay another day. Start planting seeds of change for next year now.

Photo by Binyamin Mellish on Pexels.

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