Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: HEBREWS 11:1–12:3

You can’t catch your breath. You feel weak, and you just want to lie down and give up. If life is a race, you’re in last place and the finish line is miles away. Should you even try to keep going?

Many people who’ve gone before have felt the same way, and yet somehow they’ve persevered—not just waiting for time to pass, but moving forward, even when the specific outcome was unknown. Noah spent years building the ark before the waters began to rise. Abraham left his home when he didn’t know where he was going. Moses led the Israelites around the desert for forty years and didn’t even get to go into the Promised Land. Rahab hid the Israelite spies and then kept their whereabouts a secret from her own city, not knowing when they would return. These people weren’t perfect. They messed up, but they also stuck with it.

What was their secret? Faith in the God who keeps His promises. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.” Noah, Abraham, Moses, Rahab, and others knew there was more to their stories than what they could see in front of them.

In the same way, God calls us to be faithful in difficult circumstances even when we don’t know exactly how things will work out. But He doesn’t just tell us to persevere—and then leave us to run the race by ourselves. He promises to be with us in it. Hebrews 12:1-2 encourages us to “run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus, the one who calls us, is faithful (1 Thessalonians 5:24). He has run the race, finished it, and promised to always be with us. He covers us with His grace, knowing we aren’t perfect, and gives us the strength to keep going until the day He comes again. • Mary Rozendal

• Can you think of a time when situations in your life made you feel overwhelmed, and you just wanted to give up? Were there any ways you noticed Jesus providing strength in that time?

• Jesus calls us to keep running, knowing that the finish line is eternal life with Him in restored creation! Remember, this race is not a sprint but a marathon. To run with endurance, we have to rest, take breaks, and sometimes reevaluate the things we’re doing. Who are trusted Christians in your life who can help you discern how you can run well in your own unique situations?

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (CSB)

READ: MARK 1:29-39; LUKE 5:1-16

I grabbed a yellow blanket and stormed out into the breezy summer day. I was nine years old and fed up. Fed up with our big family, our small house, and all the frustration with my little brother, who I’ll call Bradley. I’d decided right then to run away from home. The blanket was just an afterthought. As I stomped down the steps, Bradley caught up to me.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“I’m running away!” I shouted.

“Wait for me! I’ll come with you!”

He turned back to the house (to grab his own blanket, maybe) before I could tell him I wanted to run away from him, not with him. Just then I heard Mama yell, “Lunch time!” I sighed, turning back to the house. Today was not the day to run away.

In time, I learned more about myself: I get recharged by alone time. Then I’m energized to interact with others. Instead of running away from home that morning Bradley bugged me, I just needed some time by myself.

Jesus never ran away from people the way I attempted at age nine. But He did recognize the need to withdraw from the crowds alone so He could be refreshed in prayer and fellowship with the Father. Christ’s ministry required much from Him, and He understood the importance of stepping away from the busyness for focused moments of intimacy with His Father.

Once we begin a relationship with God by trusting in the work of Christ—dying for our forgiveness and then arising to give us new life—we can enjoy fellowship with the Father too. Our lives may demand much from us, and many of these commitments may even be good. But God calls us to remember that the most important thing is to enjoy our close connection with Him. Besides, we can only love others well when we are receiving God’s abundant love for us—and then letting that love overflow to others (John 15:5; 1 John 4:19). We—like Jesus—must set aside time to receive God’s renewal by spending personal time with Him. • Allison Wilson Lee

• As humans, we all need time alone. Even more, we need time alone with God in His Word. Thankfully, once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, God is always with us. So we can turn our attention to His presence any time. When you think about spending time with God, how does that feel? Intimidating, confusing, burdensome? Consider taking a moment to honestly tell God about how you feel and ask Him to give you a glimpse of how good time alone with Him can be.

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. Luke 6:12 (NIV)

READ: PSALM 100:3; ISAIAH 43:1; ROMANS 8:14-17; 12:15

Recently, I participated in a day of service in my college community. There were many service projects to choose from, and I blindly signed up, not knowing where I’d be placed.

“Our group will be serving at a homeless shelter today,” the leader said. “We’re going to split into two groups. Half of us will work in the donation closet, and half of us will sit down with the folks at the shelter and have conversations with them.

I knew immediately that I wanted to be in the donations closet because I was nervous to have a conversation. Then I met a girl who was about my age. She’d only been at the shelter for a few days. My leader paired us up, and I sat down beside her, worried about what to say next.

She told me her name, then with a smile on her face she said, “My name means ‘belonging to God.’” Something shifted inside me—the nervousness was pushed to the side, unimportant because it didn’t come from God. I felt like the Holy Spirit was prompting me to ask her, “What’s your story?”

She began telling me about her journey. I asked questions and sat and listened. We laughed together, and we both cried. It was awkward. But it reminded me that the Lord cares about the stories of His children. And He invites us to step into the life He offers—a life where we get to say, “I belong to God.”

The Holy Spirit went before me and prepared the way in this conversation. It reminded me that we don’t have to be afraid to step out in faithful obedience, because we belong to God. • Daevis McMurphy

• God loves us so much that, in Jesus, He died and rose again to make the way for us to become part of His family. As Christians, we can know that we belong to God! Jesus has promised to always love us, always be with us. He tells us again and again, “You are forgiven. You are mine.” And He invites us to serve others out of the overflow of love and belonging we receive from Him. Where have you seen and felt God’s love and belonging in your life? If nothing comes to mind, consider asking God to help you notice and/or remember these moments.

• What might it look like for you to love and serve others out of the overflow of love and belonging God has given you?

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Psalm 100:3 (NIV)

READ: GENESIS 3:1-13; EXODUS 32:19-24; 1 JOHN 1:8–2:1

During a holiday meal, five-year-old me carelessly set down a glass of milk, tipping it over. Immediately, I pointed to my great-grandpa sitting next to me and said, “Frank did it.”

I may be older now, but sometimes that urge to play the Blame Game is still there. It’s nothing new. The Blame Game has been played from the beginning of time.

In Genesis, Adam and Eve sinned against God and ruined the perfect, peaceful world He had created. When God began to question them about their choices, Adam blamed Eve, and Eve blamed the serpent.

Later on, in the book of Exodus, Aaron made an idol for the Israelites to worship. When his brother Moses found out, Aaron accused the golden calf of just appearing out of the fire.

Whether it’s a mistake like spilling milk, or an outright sin, I don’t want to take the credit. It’s sort of a gut reaction to try to deflect the blame and protect myself, even though I know God has already seen what happened. Do I really think I can allow someone else to take the fall for me?

Actually, somebody already did.

Jesus—God in flesh—willingly took the blame for me when He carried my sins to the cross. He asks me to be honest and fess up to Him and to others when I mess up. And because my forgiveness was bought with His blood, I can know that I am forgiven. God has no condemnation or rejection waiting for me on the other side of my confession—only grace (Romans 8:1).

Jesus frees me from the Blame Game. So instead of saying, “Frank did it,” I can say, “I did it. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.” Game over. • Marie Cleveland

• Can you think of a time you were tempted to shift the blame off yourself? Once we know Jesus, we don’t have to be afraid to confess our wrongs because He has declared that we are forgiven—forever! And He will be with us, helping us through any consequences we might face after we confess our wrongs to other people. Consider taking some time to tell Jesus about any sins that come to mind. In addition to talking to Jesus, is there anyone else you need to admit your sins to?

• For more about how Jesus took the blame for our sins, see our “Know Jesus” page.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9 (NIV)

READ: ISAIAH 44:6-24; 1 JOHN 5:20-21

In ninth grade, I struggled with algebra. As the “smart kid,” I placed a lot of importance on my grades—not just because I wanted to do my best, but because excellent grades gave me a ticket to self-worth. Without academic success, I couldn’t point to anything that made me feel valuable.

One day, Mrs. Russell returned our recently graded tests. I sighed when I noticed the C on my paper. I looked up to see that the guy sitting in front of me, who I’ll call Derrick, had scored a high B. Derrick hadn’t been known for earning good grades. Stunned, I blurted, “How could I make a C, and Derrick gets a B?” I announced this loudly enough that Mrs. Russell heard, Derrick heard, my friend Audrey heard… the entire class probably heard.

Immediately I blushed with embarrassment. But the damage was done. Mrs. Russell scolded me as the bell rang. We left, and Audrey confronted me for saying something so mean. Later, I apologized to Derrick, who forgave me. But what had led to my verbal explosion?

I’d slipped into believing my life was found in academic accomplishments. Pursuing good grades can be worthwhile, but I’d made an idol out of them. Then, as I fumbled in algebra, I lashed out when that idol didn’t seem to work for me. And Derrick suffered because of it.

Thankfully, idolatry and sin are no match for Jesus. He has forgiven us through His death and resurrection, and He’s also given us a source of life beyond any short-term achievements. Once we know Jesus, we become God’s much-loved children, who worship Him as the “only wise God” (Romans 16:27). Idols like grades, sports, or the approval of others have nothing to offer us except emptiness. But Christ is our life (Colossians 3:4). • Allison Wilson Lee

• Where do you turn for a sense of fulfillment? If you’re not sure, pay attention to where your focus is. It could help to consider these questions: When you’re upset, where do you turn for reassurance? Which failures hurt the most? What achievements or talents are you proudest of? Noticing these things can help us identify our idols. It’s certainly not wrong to find satisfaction in the gifts God has given us, or to feel the pain of failure deeply, or to be proud of our abilities. But when we let these things rule our lives, instead of Christ, we’ve stumbled into idolatry. Thankfully, whenever we notice idols in our lives, Jesus invites us to bring them to Him. We can confess openly and rest in His sure forgiveness. He loves us, and the life He offers is so much better than anything an idol could give. He is eager to help us walk free of idolatry.

Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. 1 John 5:21 (NLT)