Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: EXODUS 20:8-11; LUKE 5:16; 10:38-42; HEBREWS 4:1-11

“I’m so stressed! I have volleyball practice for two hours after school, homework in every class, and I have to study for my test tomorrow. I won’t get to bed until after midnight!”

We live in a fast-paced world, and we’re asked to make a lot of decisions in the few short years of our teen lives. We’re suddenly expected to be mature and adult-like, even if we aren’t ready, and it seems like every choice has a ripple effect into the future. We have to juggle school, extracurriculars, friends, family—how could we have time to rest? We need to build a resume! To succeed!

While those things are important, Jesus has a different message. He faced a similarly busy world, but when the chaos and to-do lists closed in around Him, He “often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (Luke 5:16). Sometimes He left early in the morning or went out alone to a mountainside (Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12-13). This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Remember that, after God created the universe, He rested, later giving instructions to His people to set apart a day every week to rest and take a break from our work.

If God takes a day of rest, this shows how important it is for us to rest as well!

No matter how busy our lives might be or how long our to-do lists are, we can take time to rest. This might look like reading a Bible passage, taking a few minutes to pray, being still for a while outside, or doing any number of things that are restful or fun. It’s also important to set aside a day to completely take a break and connect with God and our church family.

We might feel less productive, but this rest Jesus calls us to is actually the key to finding renewed energy to face the rest of the day or week. And the reason we can rest is because Jesus has already done everything that was needed to save us—we are held securely in His love no matter what we do or don’t accomplish. • Abby Ciona

• Can you think of a time you felt overwhelmed by your schedule, your to-do list, or an endless pursuit of perfection? According to Ephesians 2:8-10, why can we rest regardless of circumstances?

• In Luke 10:38-42, what does Jesus say to Martha about priorities and worries? What might it look like to find rest in Jesus amidst the busyness of life? What’s one thing you could try this week?

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

READ: EXODUS 16:11-31; JOHN 6:25-40, 58

Have you ever seen worms wriggling around in old food—maybe in a trash can or compost pile? It’s pretty gross! The book of Exodus tells us about a time when people disobeyed God and food grew worms overnight.

Back when the people of Israel were wandering in the wilderness for forty years, they needed food. They had no opportunity to settle down, raise a crop, and live off the fat of the land. So God, ever the loving Provider, sent them food from heaven, which appeared on the ground each morning like dew. It came for forty years, day in, day out. The people called it manna, which means “What is it?”

But God’s directions were clear: Only collect enough manna for each day. Some disobeyed God’s command. Maybe they worried the food might not show up tomorrow. And their extra, hoarded manna? Ruined and filled with worms the next morning.

There was one exception: God told the people they should collect extra manna the day before the weekly Sabbath. That manna could be set aside for the next day so they could rest, as God had commanded. And that food did not grow worms. God thinks of everything.

The manna provided a wonderful picture of God’s faithfulness! The people in the desert learned that they could depend on Him to give them what they needed. He saw them, cared, and provided. And they learned that His commands and promises are true and trustworthy!

Centuries later, in the New Testament, Jesus compared Himself to manna. He called Himself “the bread that came down from heaven,” a picture the people could understand (John 6:41). He came to bring life. He loves us so much that He died and rose again to make the way for everyone who puts their trust in Him to receive that life. Jesus is the sustenance, the daily bread, the life we need each day. • Kristen Merrill

• Can you think of a time God sustained you through a difficult season? What was that like? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this.

• In Exodus 16, why do you think God gave the people just what they needed each day instead of a large store of food that would last for months?

“I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again.” John 6:35 (CSB)

READ: PSALM 139:1-10; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:14-21

Out of habit, her eyes swept the crowded cafeteria, but not one familiar face registered from the blur of morning classes. Starting over was always this way.

Two girls, hovered in a private conversation, ignored Nora as she approached their table.

She dropped her backpack and sighed. She hated moving, but that was military life. She nibbled on a granola bar, not to make it last but because there was nothing else to do.

Groups clumped together, and the room buzzed. Nora shuddered—as if a spotlight had singled her out, the only person in the room sitting alone—and swallowed her last bite. She crumpled the wrapper, thankful for something to do, and walked to the trash can.

Chin up. Change is hard. There’s more ahead. New friends. She blinked back tears. Her positive self-talk couldn’t crack the loneliness. She breathed a prayer—Lord, help me.

She tossed the wrapper and turned back to the table where now only one girl remained with her head bent, shoulders hunched. The girl looked up, her eyes brimmed with water.

“You okay?” Nora slid next to her.

A tear escaped before the girl’s face hardened. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Sorry. Not trying to be nosy.” Nora pulled a tissue from her backpack. “Your mascara.

“Thanks.” The girl dabbed under her eyes. “I haven’t seen you before.”

“Yeah. It’s my first day. I’m Nora.”

“I’m Teagan.”

A buzzer blared, lunch ended, and the girls stood. “Hope things go better.” Nora picked up her backpack. Teagan’s eyes filled, and she nodded and left.

As Nora joined the crush of students filing out of the cafeteria, she straightened her shoulders and stepped into the hallway. She wasn’t alone. The hall was jammed with people, each with their own stories and their own struggles. She breathed another prayer: Jesus, please bless Teagan and help her today. Thank You for giving me an opportunity to show Your love to her—and maybe to others too. And thank You for being with me. • Gretchen Carlson

• Can you think of a time you felt alone or out of place? How might it be helpful to remember that, in Jesus, we are never alone—and He calls us to be part of His good work wherever we are?

Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. Psalm 139:10 (NIV)

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19-20; 2 CORINTHIANS 2:12-17

I never liked my name. The meaning of Sourabhi is sweet fragrance. There were innumerable reasons for not liking my name, but the major ones were: (1) No one could ever pronounce it properly. Every time it was called out, I wished I could disappear. And (2) I constantly ran out of space when writing it on forms, especially at school.

My nickname is Mini, and I loved it because it was short, crisp, and didn’t need much explanation. In college, almost everyone knew me as Mini.

My dislike for my name continued through my teenage years and into adulthood. It’s just that, as an adult, I learned to cope with it. Whenever someone asked my name, I would pause, wondering if the person wouldn’t be able to catch it the first time and if I’d have to repeat it. I’m an introvert, so any attention made me uncomfortable, especially when it was about my name.

I recently started blogging, and when I had to write my introduction, I didn’t expect God to meet me there. As I typed out Sourabhi, the Holy Spirit highlighted something I had never truly noticed before, the meaning of my name. It touched me deeply. I sensed that—more than the pronunciation or the struggle to make people understand—what truly stood out was its meaning. Fragrance. A word I’d read and heard countless times in Scripture. And that’s when my love for my name began.

In 2 Corinthians 2:14, Paul says that God uses us, His people, to spread the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ. So just ponder this: the parts of you that feel awkward or unwanted are also carrying His presence. Would you accept this truth, or would you still dislike those parts of yourself? • Sourabhi Sircar

• Have you ever wished something about you was different—maybe your name or a part of your personality, appearance, or background? What has made it hard for you to accept that part?

• Jesus loves every part of us, and He invites us to share His love, His truth, and His hope with all that we are! What might it look like for you to trust Him with the things about yourself that you usually try to hide? How might He use those areas to reveal His presence to others? Consider taking a moment to talk to Jesus about this, asking Him to help you see yourself as He sees you.

Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and reveals through us the sweet aroma of his knowledge in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 (WEB)

READ: PSALM 139:7-12; JEREMIAH 29:8-14; ROMANS 8:18-39

Even in the darkest nights
When the sun is nowhere to be seen

Even in the hardest fights
When hope feels like a distant dream

When I’m struggling to smile
Because all I want is to scream

O Lord, You are there
And You will comfort me.

Even if my friends and family
And church leaders turn away

And even if I cannot bear
To face another day

Even if my body
Seems to give up on me too

O Lord, You are there
And I will trust in You.

For You know the plans You have for me
I will trust that they are good

And that in the end I will see
Your promises have withstood

Dark times are no walk in the park. You might even laugh at that and add, “Yeah, and they’re no walk either! More like an army marathon that you didn’t train for at all.” I get it. Everyone experiences times when hope seems to be the furthest thing from them. Maybe it’s a scary health issue. Perhaps your family is struggling with their relationships. Sometimes you just feel lost, lonely, and sad. But take heart! You are not alone. God loves us so much that He came to live among us—He was born, lived, died, and rose again, taking our sins on His shoulders so we could live life with Him. We can know that He is always with us. He offers us comfort in the hard times, letting us know He is grieving with us. And He will provide hope, reminding us that no matter what this world throws our way, He is coming back to make all things new—getting rid of sin, death, brokenness, and pain forever. And that promise will never be broken. So, take heart! • Anna Tuckfield

• What kinds of difficulties have you been going through lately? Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about your pain, receiving His compassionate comfort and asking Him to show you how He is with you in the midst of your circumstances.

[Jesus said,] “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NLT)