Daily Devotional

Have you noticed that life can get stressful? There are days when you have way more to do than what you can handle on your own. Maybe you’ve got so much homework, chores, and responsibilities that the weight of them seems overwhelming.

Perhaps you struggle with all the drama at school and feel like no one gets you or understands. Life can be really tough sometimes, but here’s the truth:

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. – 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)

What do I like about this verse? It’s the reminder that He cares. He cares that you feel overwhelmed. He cares that the drama at school or home seems overwhelming. That’s because He’s a God of love who cares about the most intimate details of your life.

And because He cares, He wants you to not have to lift those cares and worry alone. He wants to help you, walk with you, and be the one to carry your concerns.

So today, put them on Jesus. Let Him be the one you trust with your worry and care. And know that He’s there to help you each step of the way.

We’d like to give a big thanks to Lucas Beron for creating the image for today’s devotion. If you like his designs, you can see more of his work by following him at @yosigonmd. He’s also written several devotions for us in the past: How to Live Fear-Free During Coronavirus and Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Psalm 4:8.

We’ve been through a lot in the last few years. A pandemic and chaos have affected all of us. But there is good news. It’s that throughout the whole time, God has been good to us.

God’s love has never failed us. He has brought us through many difficult times, and that’s good news. Regardless of what happens in the world, or in our lives, we can take comfort in the fact that God has always been good. That’s His nature, and it doesn’t change.

I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me. – Psalm 13:6 (NIV)

So even when things don’t always appear to be good on the surface, we can take comfort in the fact that God is good. He has always been good, and He will always be good to us.

Today, take some time to thank God for His goodness. We didn’t deserve it, but He still gave it to us because He loves us. That’s good news. Realize that no matter how bad things look, God is working, and He is good to you!

We’d like to give a big thanks to Lucas Beron for creating the image for today’s devotion. If you like his designs, you can see more of his work by following him at @yosigonmd. He’s also written several devotions for us in the past: How to Live Fear-Free During Coronavirus and Daily Bible Verse and Devotion – Psalm 4:8.

With their words, the godless destroy their friends, but knowledge will rescue the righteous. – Proverbs 11:9 (NLT)

I remember a time at church when I said some really mean things about another student. I wanted my friends to think I was funny so I said what I needed to get a laugh and didn’t think about how my words would affect the other person. My words really hurt that student’s feelings and I still feel bad about it years later.

Our words are powerful. They have the ability to hurt others deeply. However, words aren’t always used in bad ways. In fact, your words can be helpful to others as well. You can choose to speak life to other people. Your words can encourage a friend that is down. You can positively influence those around you, simply by the words you speak.

Today determine to be a better version of yourself than you were the day before. Let your words bring life and encouragement to those around you. Choose to be a person who builds others up, not tears them down. Ask God for His help in putting a guard over your mouth and begin to speak life-giving words today.

But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded. – Genesis 8:1 (NIV)

You might be going through something tough today. In fact, you might be going through something for months like Noah was here in this Bible verse. Noah had been obeying God now for years. He had built an ark according to God’s instruction. He had been on the ark for months as the floods came and stayed. He might have been tempted to get discouraged wondering if the floods were ever going to go away. However, God didn’t forget about Noah. He still came through for him by causing the waters to recede.

Just like Noah, God hasn’t forgotten about you. He knows where you’re at and how to help you. If you’ve stepped out and obeyed Him, even if it’s been months, keep standing strong in the faith because God will come through and remember you in your situation.

God is there to help you walk through the difficulties that you face. In the midst of difficulty, it’s easy to lose hope and become discouraged. Challenge yourself in those times to not give up. God has a good plan for you and a future that is good. Keep pressing into Him and see God bring a miracle to pass in your life if you don’t give up.

There can be times when it can really feel tough forcing yourself to read your Bible. You might rather watch some TV, or talk to a friend, and finding time to work in some Bible reading time can seem more like a chore than a blessing.

However, there are benefits to reading your Bible. One of the great ones is that reading your Bible gives you understanding.

in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. – Daniel 9:2 (NIV)

Because Daniel read the scriptures, he began to realize the time it was in history. He began to get an understanding of the time he was living in since he was living during the 70-year period Jeremiah had described.

The same is true for us. As we read God’s word, we get understanding. When we don’t know what to do, we can begin to read the Bible and it always seems like God gives us the wisdom that we need to know the next step. When we struggle with making a decision, often reading the Bible can give us the understanding we need to make a wise choice.

So today, take time, even if it feels like work to get into the Bible. Read the scriptures and see what God is wanting to speak into your life and your situation.

You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.  – 2 Timothy 3:15 (NLT)

Have you ever wondered why you should read your Bible? Do you ever think that it’s a lot of work to read it and that maybe it’s not really all that important? If so, you’re probably like most teenagers. Reading the Bible takes a bit of work and sometimes you might wonder if the effort is worth it.

However, reading the Bible is always worth it. One of the reasons why reading the Bible is so powerful is that it gives you wisdom. The Bible is full of truth. Reading the Bible will often give you insight on how to deal with a person or situation.

Reading the Bible also helps build you up spiritually. As you read the Bible, you become stronger and more able to deal with the situations that you’re facing. Reading the Bible is worth it. So today, decide to spend some time reading the Bible. Start where you can, it might be something small like reading a verse for two minutes, and then work on building up your time in the Bible from there.

The world right now seems a little wild. That can cause you to fear and make you wish that you didn’t have to live during this time.

Here’s the good news, however. If you’re here, you’re called.

But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased – Galatians 1:15 (NIV)

When you were in your mother’s womb, God called you. He gifted you and graced you with what you need to live out your calling.

Check out this resource: The Purpose Planner

That means that even if things seem difficult at times, God has given you what you need to be a success at this time in history. You’re called. You are equipped. God has good plans and a purpose for your life that only you can fulfill.

Your destiny might not look the same as someone else’s, but that’s ok. If you’ll listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit and be willing to adjust course if needed, you’ll find yourself on a path that will fulfill you like nothing else. So today, determine to listen to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Be encouraged that if you’re here, you’re called. You’re necessary to the plan of God on the earth today.

It’s easy to question your worth. Especially when it seems like there’s always someone who is better than you, and has more than you.

Today’s Bible verse helps us see how God sees us. God doesn’t look at you and thinks that you’re just not quite as amazing as another one of His kids. Instead, He saw you before you were born. He saw your potential and knew the plan for your life even before it came to pass.

Read: THE HOLY SPIRIT’S LEADING – FROM IT TO FASHION FOR GOD (THE STORY OF G.L.O.W.)

You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. – Psalm 139:16 (NLT)

God loves you and planned for you to be here at this time in history. He has a plan and purpose for your life that only you can fulfill. So today, don’t be discouraged. Don’t give up or give in. Instead, realize that you’re loved, called, and seen by God and He’s got a great plan for your life that started even before you were born.