Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: PSALM 32:8; PROVERBS 3:5-6; ISAIAH 30:21

Life is full of choices—big and small. Sometimes we feel confident about what to do, but other times we’re unsure which path to take. Thankfully, God invites us to trust Him for guidance. All throughout the Bible, we find His invitations. Let’s take a look at a few examples.

Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds us not to lean on our own understanding. Our perspective is limited, but God sees the bigger picture. When we submit our ways to Him, He promises to make our paths straight. That doesn’t mean life will be easy, but it does mean He will lead us in the right direction.

Psalm 32:8 gives us another assurance: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” God’s guidance is not cold or distant—it comes from His love and care for us. The truth is, God loves us so much that He came and lived among us in Jesus. Through His death and resurrection, He made the way for us to be in closest relationship with Him. And one of the blessings of that relationship is His guidance.

Isaiah 30:21 says we will hear a voice behind us saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” God’s Spirit gently directs us when we listen. His guidance may come through prayer, Scripture, wise counsel, or circumstances—but it always points us closer to Him.

I remember facing a decision that felt overwhelming. I prayed, searched Scripture, and asked God to show me the way. Over time, He gave me peace about the choice I needed to make. Looking back, I can see how His guidance protected me and opened doors I never expected.

When we lean in to God’s guidance, we discover that He is faithful. Jesus doesn’t just show us the path—He walks with us every step of the way. • Martha Karas

• Can you think of any ways God has guided you in the past? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.

• What decisions or situations are weighing on you today? Consider bringing these to Jesus in prayer, asking Him to help you notice how He is leading you.

• Who are trusted Christians in your life who can help you grow in discerning God’s guidance?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

READ: JONAH 1–4

When you think of the prophet Jonah, what comes to mind? Getting swallowed by a huge fish? Running from God? A certain movie with talking vegetables? What you might not know is how the story of Jonah points us toward the gospel. Although Jonah is known for his reluctance to preach to the people in Nineveh, his story still shows God’s mercy and foreshadows the Messiah—the promised rescuer who was to come. And we now know that Messiah is Jesus.

First, both Jesus and Jonah sacrificed themselves to save others. Jonah chose to be thrown off a ship in the midst of a storm to save the other sailors— because he knew that his sin had caused the storm. Jesus chose to sacrifice Himself on the cross—because He knew that He was without sin, so He could save us sinners (Romans 5:8; Hebrews 4:15).

Second, both Jonah and Jesus also found themselves in the depths for three days. For Jonah, this meant being in the belly of a big fish. Jesus spent three days in the tomb after His death on the cross. Then, both returned from the depths after three days. Jonah was vomited by the fish on to shore, and he went on to (reluctantly) share God’s message of repentance with the people of Ninevah, which ultimately led to Gentiles repenting and being saved. Jesus rose from the grave, defeating sin and death forever and saving all who put their trust in Him—both Jews and Gentiles!

These similarities and connections are no accident, and they’re just the beginning of the ways the book of Jonah points to the gospel. The whole book intentionally points toward Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. God the Father sent both Jonah and Jesus out of His great love for us. But Jesus is better than Jonah (Matthew 12:41). Jonah was only human, but Jesus is both fully human and fully God. While Jonah was a reluctant prophet who did not have much love for the people he preached to, God the Son willingly came and dwelled among us, sacrificing His own life on the cross so that we could be saved from sin and live with Him forever. • Naomi Zylstra

• Did anything about today’s devotion surprise you? If so, what?

• While reading the book of Jonah, did you notice any other connections between the story of Jonah and the story of Jesus?

• For more about the gospel, the good news of Jesus, see our "Know Jesus" page.

[Jesus said,] “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Matthew 12:40 (NIV)

READ: MARK 4:35-41; PHILIPPIANS 4:4-13

Life can feel like a storm—friendships changing, family struggles, church drama, schoolwork piling up, or just general uncertainty about the future can all send us reeling. Anxiety often sneaks in when we don’t know what’s coming next. But Jesus offers us something the world can’t: peace that goes beyond understanding.

In Philippians 4, Paul reminds us that we can bring our worries to God in prayer. When we do, we find His peace guards our hearts. And Jesus Himself, on the night before He went to the cross, told His disciples, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27). The peace of Jesus is like an anchor holding steady in rough waters.

This doesn’t mean storms disappear. It means we don’t face them alone. Jesus’s presence steadies us, reminding us that He is in control. He died on the cross and rose from the grave to save us and secure our eternal future with Him. That means, once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we can rest—even when life feels uncertain.

I’ve experienced moments when life felt overwhelming, like waves crashing over me. But when I turned to God in prayer, I found His peace calming my heart. He didn’t erase the situation, but He reminded me that He was with me, holding me steady.

Hebrews 6:18-19 says, “We who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.” Jesus’s peace is not fragile—it’s strong enough to carry us through the hardest days. When we anchor ourselves in Him, we discover a security that no storm can shake. • Martha Karas

• In Philippians 4:7, what do you think it means that Jesus’s peace transcends or surpasses understanding?

• How can spending time in prayer and Scripture help us anchor our hearts in Jesus’s peace? (Hint: read Matthew 6:25-34.)

• Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus, following Philippians 4:6 as a guide—thanking Him for ways you’ve seen His goodness and asking for His help with whatever is weighing on you.

• God designed the church to comfort and encourage each other in difficult times. Who can you talk to about the storms in your life—maybe a parent, pastor, youth leader, friend, or counselor?

Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 (NLT)

READ: JOHN 19

If you search “famous last words,” you’ll read the final thoughts of a variety of people throughout history— thoughts that range from sad to crass to funny to hopeful.

Jesus has seven recorded statements from the cross, but His final statement summarizes His saving work: with His last breath, Jesus announces, “It is finished” (John 19:30). It’s a startling end to the life of the greatest person who ever trod the planet. And yet, on the surface, the three-word sentence seems rather basic.

But picture Leonardo DaVinci painting the Mona Lisa. He has spent many years perfecting his painting. There’s the blend of colors, the smile, the eyes, the shading. Finally, after completing his masterpiece, I imagine DaVinci puts down his brush, sits back in his chair, and announces, “It is finished.”

That’s the sense of Jesus’s words. He had come down from heaven, become a human, lived a perfect life to fulfill the requirements of the law. When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He declared that there was nothing more for Him to do to make sinful people righteous before a holy Father. As Christians, we are His masterpiece—the work is already done (Ephesians 2:8-10).

The implications of this are huge. There is nothing left to do, nothing left undone. Jesus completed the task—dying on the cross and then rising from the grave—so there is nothing left for us to earn. Jesus’s righteousness covers those who put their faith in Him (Romans 4:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Virtually every other religion offers salvation through works, but Christianity relies on Christ’s work to provide our salvation from sin and death. Jesus removed all doubt with His final words on the cross: “It is finished.” • Mike Hurley

• When Jesus died and rose again, what work did He finish?

• Why is Jesus the only one who can finish the work of salvation in us? (Philippians 1:6)

• Because Jesus rose from the dead, His words on the cross weren’t really His last. And this is good news! Find out more on our "Know Jesus" page.

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit. John 19:30 (CSB)

READ: PSALM 103:8-12; MICAH 7:18-19; ROMANS 8:1-4

When I was a freshman in high school, I messed up. I lied and misused my parents’ trust—and I got caught. The broken relationship with my parents (as well as losing my privileges) hurt, and I beat myself up about it for a long time. I had sleepless nights and bouts of sobbing because I couldn’t believe how stupid I’d been and how bad I was. I couldn’t forgive myself. Even though Jesus had forgiven my guilt, I still felt so guilty. It was a constant, unbearable weight.

Satan wanted my shame to make me doubt Jesus’s forgiveness and lose my way. In time, though, I realized something incredible: I didn’t have to carry that burden. Because of God’s faithfulness, goodness, and mercy, I could give my shame to Jesus, over and over again, as many times as it took before I could let go. I kept taking it back and telling myself I still deserved the feelings of guilt even after Jesus forgave me. But, through the struggle, Jesus was patient with me, and I eventually gave my shame over this incident to Him for good.

You may be struggling with guilt and shame too. But God’s Word tells us that all people are guilty of sin, yet He loves us even in our failures (Romans 3:23-24). It was because He loves us that Jesus died on the cross, taking the punishment for all our sins—past, present, and future. Since Jesus rose from the grave, everyone who has put their trust in Him has already been declared innocent, permanently. So, when we sin, may the feelings of guilt drive us to Jesus, who understands our struggles and offers us boundless grace every time we fall. He picks us up, smothers us in His mercy and love, and bears our burdens so we don’t have to.

If you know Jesus, everything you’ve ever done or ever will do has already been forgiven. So, instead of living in the past and beating yourself up, you can come to Jesus with all your guilt—He is eager to help you throw off the shackles of shame and bask in His love and forgiveness. • Martalisa Fischer

• Can you think of a time you felt stuck in a cycle of guilt, but then God helped you get out of it? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this! (2 Corinthians 7:10)

• Are you feeling burdened by guilt today? Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about any sins that come to mind and thank Him for His sure forgiveness. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

• Why is it sometimes difficult to forgive ourselves even when we know God has forgiven us? Who is a mature Christian in your life you can be honest with when that happens?

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NIV)