Unlocked is a daily teen devotional, centered on God’s Word. Each day’s devotion—whether fiction, poetry, or essay—asks the question: How does Jesus and what He...
READ: PSALM 25:16-17; 1 SAMUEL 18:1-4; 20:1-42; JOHN 15:13-15
When I was sixteen, it felt like my world was crumbling. My best friend had a boyfriend, spent all her time dancing for a prestigious ballet company, and excelled at math and science. Meanwhile, I was lonely, struggling to improve at my hobbies, and hated math and science with a burning passion. What I thought would be a lifelong friendship was fizzling at the first hint of conflict.
When we experience difficulties in our relationships, we have two paths we can take. We can act out of the anger, hurt, and jealousy that derives from comparison, or we can be vulnerable and admit our feelings to our friends and overcome the tension together.
In the Bible, David had complicated relationships with King Saul and his son, Jonathan. King Saul viewed David as his enemy because he knew God wanted David to be king instead of him. He went as far as trying to kill David because of his jealousy! Meanwhile, Jonathan had every reason to dislike David. Jonathan was next in line for the throne, yet David was promised Jonathan’s future. However, Jonathan loved God and had faith in God’s promise. He cared deeply about David and encouraged him to accept his calling from God. Jonathan was a true friend.
As we grow older, our relationships will either grow with us or fade away. Not all friendships are meant to last forever, but the ones built on godly love are the most important ones to fight for in the face of conflict. With time, and many tears, my friend and I realized we needed to give each other space to grow separately before restarting our friendship with more reasonable expectations and renewed trust.
Experiencing changes in our friendships can be tiring and lonely. But Jesus wants us to call out to Him and lean on Him through this difficult process. Jesus is the best friend we could ever have. His love for us is so great, He was willing to pay the ultimate price for our friendship. He died and rose again so we can be with Him forever—both now through the Holy Spirit, and for all eternity when He returns. As you rely on Jesus, He will give you the strength and discernment you need to pursue godly friendships with courage. • Hannah Chung
• Are you struggling with comparison in any of your relationships? Consider taking a moment to talk to God about this and ask Him to remind you of His great love for you.
• Do you feel alone? Consider asking God to help you notice people who could become godly companions. Remember, even when you feel lonely, Jesus is with you. You are never truly alone.
A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Proverbs 17:17 (NLT)
--------
5:03
Go to God First
READ: EXODUS 14:14; PSALM 32; LUKE 15:1-7; JOHN 20:11-16
Lost in the dark,
Can’t see the light,
Too tired, too weary,
Too sad to fight.
Burdened by shame,
Haunted by the past.
Looking for help,
Turning to God last.
Suddenly He’s there.
Suddenly there’s light.
Don’t need to be strong.
He’ll win the fight.
Lost in His love,
Mercy from above,
Pouring down on me.
At last I see.
Darkness is gone,
So is shame.
Forgiveness is mine.
He knows my name.
Now go to Him first,
Weak or strong.
He’ll forgive
Every wrong. • Haley Walts
• Have you ever tried everything to fix a problem yourself instead of going to God? How did that turn out?
• Have you ever been surprised by God’s merciful help and forgiveness when you were in trouble? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.
• How could it be comforting to know that, even if we’re in over our heads, even if it’s our fault, we can go straight to God? What kinds of problems are you struggling with right now? Consider taking a moment to bring these to God in prayer. You can confess any sins that come to mind and rest in His sure forgiveness, knowing that Jesus has already paid the price for all your sins on the cross. You can also ask Him for help, guidance, and reminders of His trustworthy love.
• Sometimes, it can be hard to talk to God about our problems, especially if we feel ashamed or overwhelmed. Who are trusted Christians in your life who can remind you of God’s love and pray with you and for you?
It is because of Yahweh’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (WEB)
--------
3:53
Betraying My Denomination?
READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27; EPHESIANS 4:1-6
I attended the same church until I turned twenty-three. Through a service opportunity, I started attending a different church. But I wasn’t just switching buildings and service times. I was switching denominations too.
Denominations are groups of churches (like Free Methodist, Church of God, Presbyterian, etc.) that are united by a particular set of beliefs and practices and have some kind of governing body. They each emphasize different elements of Christianity (and disagree in some areas).
I grew up in a denomination that was a little reserved. Our sermons were scheduled to the minute, and songs functioned on a click-track. My new church repeats bridges of songs over and over, people will share testimonies in the middle of worship, and services could last anywhere from one to two hours. My new church focuses on spiritual gifts, while my former church focused on discipleship, educating believers, and serving.
But guess what? God is in both places. I’ve learned so much from each one. God is not a straightforward, one-dimensional piece of paper. While He doesn’t change, He has many different characteristics that different churches emphasize in the ways they conduct worship.
I think it’s easy to focus so much on denominations that we lose sight of what matters most. We get caught up on all these differences—or, even worse, we don’t critically examine our differences and just assume that one of us is “right.”
The fact is, Jesus died for people in every church. His love for us goes beyond denominations. In Matthew 18:20, Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.” Yes, as fallen humans, we’re going to set up institutions prone to errors. And there are bad leaders everywhere, so it’s vital to be mindful of the teaching at any church. But Jesus lived and died and rose again for all of us. Let’s come together, learn from one another, and share the many ways God has shown His love to each of us. • Natty Maelle
• Do you know what your church believes or what denomination it’s part of? Consider going to your church’s website or asking your pastors about what core beliefs your church holds.
• Jesus calls the church to live in unity (1 Corinthians 1:10). How does Jesus make this possible? What might it look like to live in unity with denominations you disagree with?
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I [Jesus] am there among them.” Matthew 18:20 (CSB)
--------
4:54
Sour Notes
READ: PHILIPPIANS 1:3-11
Imagine you pick up a violin and attempt to play it for the very first time. You tuck it under your chin, pick up your bow, and draw it gently across the strings. Would you expect to hear lovely music? Of course not! You’d probably get some screeches and sour notes. But if you took time to learn and practice, eventually your playing would improve.
In the same way, we can have sour notes in our lives too—habits and attitudes that are out of tune with who we are as God’s children. But if we confess our wrongs to Jesus, He forgives us and helps us play a new song. When we put our trust in Jesus to save us, He changes us and gives us the Holy Spirit, who works in us so others can hear the beautiful song of God’s love and saving power in our lives. It takes time to learn how to play the music God calls us to. But, although we’ll still struggle with sin, Philippians 1:6 says God has promised to continue working in us until the day Jesus returns and gets rid of sin forever.
And, when we hear sour notes from our fellow Christians, it’s easier to be patient with each other when we remember our own struggles. Because the truth is, we all do sinful things every day. We all need God’s help and forgiveness. And God is so very patient with us. He delights in helping us learn how to play His music instead of our own noisy scrawls.
While it can be discouraging when we hear sour notes in our lives, let’s not forget that God is still working in us. He’s patiently teaching us to turn away from sin and show His love to others, and He won’t ever give up on us. Whenever we sin, we can turn to Jesus, confess our sin, and rest in His sure forgiveness. Then trust Him to help us share His sweet song of salvation with those around us. • A. W. Smith
• Because Jesus died for us and rose again, we can know God, the one who created music. Take a moment to look back on your life. What sour notes has Jesus worked to transform? Where do you notice His beautiful music breaking through in your life? Consider spending some time thanking God for this!
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Philippians 1:6 (NLT)
--------
4:21
The Love of God
READ: ROMANS 8:31-39; EPHESIANS 3:14-21
"Could we with ink the ocean fill, and were the skies of parchment made; were ev’ry stalk on earth a quill, and ev’ryone a scribe by trade; to write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry; nor could the scroll contain the whole, though stretched from sky to sky.”
The lyrics in this hymn, “The Love of God” by Frederick Lehman, often run through my head around Valentine’s Day. These lines demonstrate the paradox of God’s incomprehensible yet knowable love. We see this paradox in Ephesians 3:19, when Paul prays that his readers may be able “to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge.” How can we know the love of God that surpasses all knowledge?
Imagine if every person who ever lived, and ever will live, was given the job of describing the love of God in writing. For ink, they are given the equivalent of all the oceans on earth. For pens, they are given the equivalent of every blade of grass. The paper upon which they can write is as vast as the sky.
Now, imagine they exhaust every faculty of language—writing in every dialect, using every metaphor, combing every thesaurus, mining every dictionary, offering every similitude—to describe God’s love. They would still fall abysmally short of adequately communicating the greatness and perfection of God’s love.
Yet, as indescribable as God’s love is, it is still knowable. The Scriptures tell us that God’s faithful, covenant-keeping love endures forever. It never fails and never changes. And God has shown His love most clearly in this: He gave His Son to pay the penalty for your sin and to reconcile you to Himself. If you have put your trust in Jesus to save you, you are His. And I am persuaded that nothing can separate you from God’s great love in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). The indescribable has been clearly demonstrated. This Valentine’s Day, may you know the incomprehensible love of God, because you know the God of love. • Cameron DeCou
• How would you describe God’s love?
• What sorts of things cause us to doubt that God really loves us? How does refocusing our attention on Christ crucified help us when we don’t feel like God loves us?
• This Valentine’s Day, consider taking a moment to pray Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 for yourself, and then pray it again for someone you know.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His faithful love endures forever. Psalm 136:1 (CSB)
Unlocked is a daily teen devotional, centered on God’s Word. Each day’s devotion—whether fiction, poetry, or essay—asks the question: How does Jesus and what He did affect today’s topic? With daily devotions read by our hosts, Natalie and Dylan, and questions designed to encourage discussion and a deeper walk with Christ, Unlocked invites teens to both engage with the Bible and to write and submit their own devotional pieces.