Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: PSALMS 23:1-6; 119:103-105

Looking back
I see the good
Every move
There You stood

Lessons learned
Step by step
Every day
In Your love, I’m kept

As I move
Through life’s highs and lows
You are there
Tell me where to go

I trust in You
To lead me on
You’ll do it well
Until the very end • Bethany Acker

• As you look back on your life, can you see any ways God has taken care of you? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for these glimpses of His goodness.

• Reflecting on God’s faithfulness to us in the past often makes it easier for us to trust Him to lead us in the future, and to provide for us every step of the way. It can also be helpful to remember that Jesus has promised to be our Good Shepherd (John 10:10-18, 27-30). We can trust Him to lead us well because He loves us so much that He died and rose again to save us and bring us into His flock. He is always with us, through all the highs and lows, keeping us in His love and covering our faults with His mercy. In what areas of your life do you need to be reminded of Jesus’s presence today? Consider taking a moment to talk to Him about whatever comes to mind.

The LORD is my shepherd; I have all that I need. Psalm 23:1 (NLT)

READ: JUDGES 17:1-6; PROVERBS 3:5-6; ISAIAH 5:13-21; 2 CORINTHIANS 7:5-13

Growing up in the country, I spent lots of time running around barefoot. So when we needed to rush one day to get to a soccer game for my family member, Eli, I jumped barefoot into our minivan. Once we arrived at the park where Eli played, I followed my family across several fields carrying my sandals.

The lush grass of the fields, damp from morning dew, felt soothing on my feet. At first. Then I noticed a tingling sensation on the bottoms of my feet. As I watched the soccer match, the soles of my feet began burning and turning red. Too late, I realized I had walked through ant poison that had been sprinkled on the grass. For the rest of the day—after Eli’s game was over, after I put on shoes—all the skin that had encountered the grass (and, therefore, the poison) itched, ached, and swelled. What had appeared harmless, even inviting, at the start of the day had caused pain lasting most of the weekend. I couldn’t see the danger—didn’t consider any risk—and unknowingly ran right into it.

In the Old Testament, we read about God’s people who ran right into spiritual danger, assuming that what appeared good to them—including idol worship— would bring satisfaction. “All the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes” (Judges 17:6), and that did not turn out well. But God desires something better for us. Jesus came to die for our sins and rise again so we could be in relationship with God. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, we no longer need to depend on our own ideas of what’s good. We’re not on our own—we have a Father who possesses all wisdom and generously wants to share it with us (James 1:5). He knows the dangers in what seems good, even when we can’t see it. He will lead us well. • Allison Wilson Lee

• Can you think of something that seemed good at first, but turned out to be harmful in the end? Some bad decisions are sinful, and some are just unwise. Thankfully God is always merciful and eager to help and guide us—both in making good decisions, and in the aftermath of bad ones.

• Sometimes following Jesus doesn’t feel comfortable. It can be hard! Yet, if we know Jesus, the same Spirit who raised Him from the dead is now living in us, giving us power to walk in His good ways (Romans 8:11; 2 Timothy 1:7). And even when we do sin, Jesus still loves us, and He wants to forgive us and help us move forward in following Him. Where do you need wisdom or strength? Who are trusted Christians in your life who could pray and dig into the Bible with you?

Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5 (NLT)

READ: ROMANS 14; 1 CORINTHIANS 8:9-13; 13:4-7; GALATIANS 5:13

We live in a world that often says, “Do whatever makes you happy.” But in Romans 14:21, Paul says something else.

He’s writing to Christians in Rome who were arguing about food, drink, and other personal choices. Some felt free to eat anything; others believed certain foods were wrong. Instead of saying, “Do what you want,” Paul instructs the believers to think about how their choices affect the people around them. If what we’re doing—even if it’s not wrong in itself—makes it harder for someone else to follow Jesus, then it’s worth giving up. Sometimes God calls us to lay down our freedom out of love.

This isn’t just about food. As believers, it’s natural and good to desire freedom—to make our own choices, speak our minds, and live fully in the freedom we have in Christ. But that freedom isn’t about doing whatever we want—it’s about using our freedom to reflect Jesus and love others well (Galatians 5:13). It’s freedom with love. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). And He didn’t just say it—He lived it. As God the Son, He gave up His rights, His comfort, and ultimately His life, to put our needs first and fulfill the will of the Father. That’s the kind of love Jesus has for us. And that’s the kind of love we’re called to walk in.

Scripture reminds us that our actions affect others. You might be fine listening to certain music, joking a certain way, or watching specific content—but it’s worth asking ourselves: is this helping or hurting someone else’s walk with Jesus?

And that’s where 1 Corinthians 13 comes in. Love isn’t about getting our way—“Love is patient, love is kind… It is not self-seeking” (verses 4-5). Sometimes love means we don’t do something—not because it’s sinful, but because it might cause someone else to stumble. Remember, we’re able to love others in this way when we rest in Jesus, who laid down His rights, His desires, and His very life out of love for us. • Stephanie Mathews

• Sometimes, it can be hard to know if something we’re doing is making it difficult for those around us to follow Jesus. Thankfully, whenever we have questions about this, Jesus invites us to bring them to Him in prayer. In addition to talking to Jesus, who are trusted Christians you can ask?

• Who in your life might be impacted—positively or negatively—by your example?

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Romans 14:19 (NIV)

READ: EPHESIANS 2:1-10; 3:19

Around me the scuff of thousands of feet scrapes over asphalt. A mob of the dead overtaking another city. Our leader is our hunger. Our need to make everything we encounter just like us.

In my path is a dandelion that had been growing through a crack in the concrete. It lies flat and trampled by the hundreds who walk ahead of me. The flower is squished, the color is faded, and the whole thing is covered in dust. It’s as good as dead. I step on it and twist my foot anyway, crushing it even more.

And it feels good.

Once across the massive parking lot, the mob reaches the city limits. We break apart and go different ways. Some heading for businesses, some for homes, some for churches. A swarm of gray flowing into the streets. I follow the flow down Mainstreet. My body is numb, my limbs feel heavy, and my stomach commands more, more, more.

Something touches my arm, and I halt. It’s warm. I’ve never felt warm before. I jerk my head around to see a man, clothed in the most vibrant colors I have ever seen. I look down at where he’s grasping my arm. His hand glows with the color of life. It’s a stark contrast to the lifeless gray of my arm—his strong healthy complexion against my papery, peeling skin.

But wait, how am I feeling him? I’ve never felt anything before. At least, not like this. The warmth from his hand spreads throughout my arm, until it fills my whole body. The skin on my arm swells and colors until it looks just like his. Full of life. My eyes grow sharper, and his color becomes even more dazzling.

I’m alive. I’ve never been alive before. Suddenly every craving I had a moment ago has shifted. I don’t want to destroy, I want to be with this man.

His brown eyes are filled with more kindness than I can comprehend, even now that my mind feels sharper and more discerning. A laugh bubbles from within me, and I flinch. I’ve never made that sound before.

The man is smiling now. Following behind him is a small crowd of people. They’re alive, just like me. When they see what the man has done for me, a cheer rings out among them, and they all run toward me with joy. • Emily Tenter

• Today’s allegorical story is inspired by various Scriptures that show how desperately we need Jesus. Without Him, we are dead in our sins, ruled by our hunger for things that are not good. But even in our depravity, God loved us with an everlasting love, and He came to dwell with us in Jesus. Fully God and fully human, Jesus took our sins upon Himself when He died on the cross. But death could not master Him—He rose again, declaring that everyone who puts their trust in Him has new life! Have you ever thought about what it means that, before we knew Jesus, all of us were dead in our sins? Why is it so important that Jesus is alive—and He is the only one who can make us alive? (If you want to dig deeper, read Ezekiel 11:19-20; 37:1-14; Luke 15:1-7, 24; John 10:10-11; Romans 6:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17.)

• Once we know Jesus, our desires start to be transformed. As we grow in our relationship with God, learning to rest in His love and forgiveness and kindness for us, our inclinations will be directed more and more toward love, forgiveness, and kindness for others. Can you think of a time you noticed God’s transforming work in your life? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this! (2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5:13-23; Philippians 1:6; 2:13)

• When Jesus...

READ: 1 CHRONICLES 16:31-33; PSALM 59:16; ISAIAH 49:13

Today may be a day you woke up and looked out at the world around you and wanted no more of it. Life could feel crushing, unfair, as though it’s falling apart. You may think you’re completely alone. But take heart, you’re not alone.

People may have failed you, or they may not know how to give you what you need, but God has given you a song. He has given all of His creation a song of hope, even the trees, the hills, and the mountains. In fact, the Bible uses the word sing over four hundred times—and God commands us to sing. Why? Because once you’re in Christ, then even in your darkest moments…deep, deep inside of you a song waits for you to give it life.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a good voice or if you don’t know what to sing. You can go to God’s Word and find truths to sing—the deep truths of the good news of Jesus. Run to Him, the one who is true, who gives freedom and restoration from sin and death. If your faith is in Him, He has given you a song of salvation that He sang over you first…and sings over you even now. So, like a crumbling dam, let the words break you open, fall from your mouth like a river, spill the emotions in a rush. Cry. Scream. But sing.

As you do, you will find that joy goes hand-in-hand with the song of salvation. In Psalm 59:16, God is called a stronghold. Singing your song to God, you are surrounded with comfort, peace, and joy. He is your fortress (Psalm 91:2). Song reminds your soul that you belong to God—that you are loved, special, chosen (Psalms 42:5, 11; 103:1-2, 22).

The only one who knows your heart better than you do, is God. He knows your pain, your fears, your hopelessness. He wants to carry it all for you. So raise your voice in song, child of God! He will give you the words to sing as He completes the work of restoration He has already begun in you (Philippians 1:6). • Sara DeBord

• If God has given the trees, hills, and mountains a song, how much more will He provide us—His children—with a song to sing! Why is the song of God’s people (and of creation) rooted in salvation through Jesus?

• If you want to dig deeper, read Psalms 65:13; 96:12; 98:7-8; 118:14; 147:1; Isaiah 55:12; Zephaniah 3:17; John 14:6; Acts 4:11-12; Romans 1:16; 8:18-30; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; 1 John 4:19.

He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and they will trust in the LORD. Psalm 40:3 (CSB)