Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: HABAKKUK 3; ROMANS 8:28-39; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 What are you most grateful for? It’s often easy to praise God for joyful blessings, but sometimes we forget we can also be thankful in suffering. In the book of Habakkuk, God announced His severe judgment on the rebellious people of Judah. The prophet Habakkuk was devastated. God would send the dreaded Chaldeans, and the effect of their brutal attacks on Judah would be complete destruction, ruin, and captivity. The prophet lamented to God, and God answered him with three assurances: His grace would protect the righteous who live by faith, His glory would be revealed, and His sovereign rule would prevail. After Habakkuk presented his complaints to God and listened for His answers, the prophet was left awestruck at the greatness, power, and majesty of God. He recounted God’s miraculous interventions and deliverance, His trustworthy character and mighty deeds throughout Israel’s history. Though trembling on the threshold of doom, Habakkuk’s focus was redirected from the impending disaster onto the holiness, righteousness, and faithfulness of God. In the end, Habakkuk’s primary concern was no longer personal safety or deliverance for the people of Judah, but the work of God and the glory of God. Once he’d experienced a vision of God’s goodness and sovereignty, his priorities changed: he desired that God should accomplish whatever He wanted to do and receive the due glory for His work. If that involved pain and suffering, so be it. If judgment and discipline were necessary to achieve His divine agenda, so be it. Habakkuk’s outlook echoes the prayer Jesus would later teach His disciples: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Habakkuk teaches us that, as we draw near to God, He guides us to a point where His work and His glory become more important to us than our comfort and safety. God loves us, and when our desires are subordinated and yielded to His higher kingdom plans and purposes, we can be truly praiseful and thankful in any circumstance, even trial and suffering. • L.C. Nuttall • Habakkuk got to hear exactly how God was going to work through the suffering and pain in his life. We, on the other hand, may never know how God was at work in our suffering until we see Jesus face to face. Yet, we do know that He is always with us, providing comfort and strength. And He invites us to bring all of our pain, anger, and complaints to Him. How can resting in God’s love and presence with us lead us to praise and gratitude even in painful times? [Jesus said,] “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 (NIV) 

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; JOHN 14:6; 1 JOHN 5:19-20 They blare in our headphones, they shine out from our devices: defining voices of this world. They come subtly, yet suddenly. They echo as a whisper, yet in our minds they resound as a shout. They avert our gaze off of where it should be, redirecting our focus onto worthless lies. The voices of this world try to define who we are. We get distracted by these voices that try to tell us who we should be, so much so that we start to believe that their lies aren’t lies at all, but reality. And when we try to follow these voices, it’s exhausting. They tell us we should look a certain way, act a certain way, and be a certain way. They distract us from the Way, which is the only way that really matters. It is vital to redirect our eyes onto Jesus. He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The reality is, the things of this world don’t have to define us. Ephesians 5:8 says that all of us were once darkness, but those who know Jesus have become children of light. We are chosen and dearly loved by the True King. He laid down His life for us, dying on the cross and rising from the grave so that our sins could be forgiven and we could become part of His eternal family. Once we belong to Jesus, He is the only one who can define us. That’s why it’s so important for us to slow down and take time to dwell on the truth that Jesus is God, the King of the world, and He loves us with an unshakable love (Romans 8:38-39; 1 Timothy 1:16-17). When we spend time with Him—by talking with Him in prayer, reading His book, the Bible, and gathering with His people, the church—we have the opportunity to remember again and again that, indeed, He is God and we are His children. And because we no longer belong to the darkness, we are no longer defined by the voices of this world. • Emma Pamer • What things in your life divert your eyes from Jesus? Can you think of a time Jesus redirected your eyes back onto Himself? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this. • Lies are from the devil, but sometimes people—even people in the church—repeat his lies, either on purpose or unknowingly. That’s why it’s so important for us to study God’s Word for ourselves and not be afraid to ask hard questions. Who are trusted Christians in your life who can help you weigh the messages you’re receiving—from people you know, from books, online, and even at church—against the Bible? (If you want to dig deeper, you can read more about who we are in Jesus in Romans 8:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; Ephesians 1–2; 1 Peter 2:9.) You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 1 John 4:4 (CSB) 

READ: PSALM 18:19; ISAIAH 43:4; ZEPHANIAH 3:17; 1 JOHN 4:9-10 If you’ve ever had a pet you loved, or saw your favorite animal at the zoo, or had the opportunity to hold a beloved baby in your arms, think about what it felt like when you looked at them. When we truly delight in an animal or a baby, we don’t need anything from them. We don’t expect anything from them, except to just be themselves. Even though they can’t do anything for us, we love them anyway, and we enjoy the time spent together. And this is similar to how God sees us. Sometimes, when we think about God, we can be tempted to believe the lie that He is distant and cold, just waiting for us to slip up. But that’s just not true. We are His creation made in His image, and when He looks at us, He sees that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 139:14). God adores you so much more than you could ever imagine. He delights in you. And not because He needs anything from you (Psalm 50:9-11; Acts 17:25). He chose you because He loves you, and He wants to spend eternity with you (John 3:16; Ephesians 1:4-8). I don’t know what you’ve been told about God or what kind of experiences you’ve had in church, but no matter who you are, where you’re from, what you look like, or what you’ve done, Jesus loves you so much that He died on the cross and rose from the grave so that you would have the opportunity to walk alongside Him for all eternity. • Elizabeth Blanton • Do you have a family member, a friend, or an animal you delight in? God cherishes you even more than that. He even knows how many hairs are on your head! (Luke 12:6-7) • Can you think of a time you felt like God was distant and cold, just waiting for you to slip up? We all fall into believing this lie from time to time, even after we’ve put our trust in Jesus, but God always looks at us with love, He always wants to be with us—and He knows we need reminders. Can you think of a time God reminded you of His love? What was that like? But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (NIV) 

READ: HEBREWS 2:17-18; 4:14-16, 1 PETER 5:7-10 God wants us to pour out our hearts to Him. Think about that. God tells us to spill out all our wants, needs, emotions, dreams, troubles, joys, and thoughts to Him. We might be tempted to think God only wants us to confess our sins, ask for direction, and thank Him for our blessings when we pray to Him. But that’s not the case. God offers Himself as a safe outlet where we can vent, cry, and be fully ourselves. When we pour out our hearts to God, we don’t need to worry about Him telling others our dirty secrets or rolling His eyes because of our immaturity. He knows we’re fragile humans who struggle with life and don’t know how to act sometimes. And that doesn’t scare Him off. He wants to approach us for that very reason. He invites us to be totally honest about our struggles—this is one of the ways we can cast our cares on Him (1 Peter 5:7). As we pour out our hearts to God, we often find it gets easier to settle our minds and hear His voice. It isn’t good to bottle things up because the noise in our hearts becomes too much for us. But letting go of those things and telling them all to God not only brings relief, it opens the door of our hearts so we can more effectively listen to Him. As we talk to God, it helps to remember that He knows what it’s like to be human. Jesus is both fully God and fully human, and He faced more than His fair share of hardships here on earth. And every time, He went straight to God the Father in prayer. Even while Jesus was dying on the cross for our sins, He continued to speak to the Father from the depths of His heart. Whenever we start to feel the weight of the world, or we think we can never get through something, it’s time to take a step back and pour out our hearts to God. • Morgan A. Mitchell • When you pray, what kinds of things do you tend to hold back? What do you avoid saying to God? Why do you think that might be? • How do you think God feels when you share what’s on your heart with Him? Do you imagine He’s angry, annoyed, or disappointed—or do you picture Him responding with compassion, patience, and wisdom? Consider taking a moment to ask God to show you how He truly feels about you. Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8 (NIV)

READ: PSALM 51; MATTHEW 18:21-35; EPHESIANS 4:32 I witnessed my father and mother fighting at a very young age. As the years went by, I learned that my father was not only a gambler but was also unfaithful to my mother over and over again. As I grew up, my hatred for my father grew. He was not sorry for his faults. He was self-centered and insensitive, which made me abhor him all the more, even though I was his favorite child. And though I was studying in a Christian school where forgiveness was being taught, I did not forgive my father for his transgressions. I did not find any valid reason to forgive him, because he did not even ask for forgiveness. I only forgave my father many years later when the Holy Spirit prompted me to forgive him. Jesus was hurt and offended by the people who crucified Him, yet He forgave them despite experiencing humiliation, severe pain, and suffering on the cross. Because of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection, if we’ve put our trust in Him, we can know that we have been forgiven completely. And the Holy Spirit empowers us to forgive those who have offended us and caused us pain, knowing that Jesus has forgiven us for the pain we cause Him and others. Jesus loves us, and He wants us to forgive others because we have been forgiven. Further, He knows that forgiveness can help us move toward peace, joy, and better relationships. Jesus even forgave people who did not ask for forgiveness (Luke 23:34). He forgave and continues to forgive us in spite of knowing that we sin repeatedly. As we rest in His love for us, Jesus will lead us to forgive the way He has forgiven us. • Golda Dilema • As Christians, we live our lives in a constant rhythm of repentance and forgiveness. And Jesus’s forgiveness will never run out! Consider taking a moment to thank Jesus for His amazing gift of forgiveness. And if any sins come to mind, you can always confess these as well. • Is there someone you’re struggling to forgive right now? Consider taking some time to talk to Jesus about this. He invites you to share all your questions and struggles. He loves listening to you, and He is always eager to help you. • Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you have to be in a close relationship with them. If you’re struggling to forgive someone who consistently makes you feel unsafe, who is a trusted adult you can talk to about setting good boundaries? Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 (NIV)

READ: MATTHEW 6:19-33; COLOSSIANS 3:2-4; 1 TIMOTHY 4:8 I don’t mean to brag, but I’ve had a six-pack (abs, not sodas) on and off for about twenty years. Exercise has become part of my lifestyle. But something I realized about ten years ago was that my weight training had become an obsession. It slowly moved from low priority, to medium priority, to high priority, and finally to, “Life, get out of the way, because I’m working out no matter what!” This is called an obsession. Even if you don’t work out, obsessions come in many forms. My obsession may have been about health, but it wasn’t healthy. You see, an obsession is when something takes God’s place as the decision-maker for all other areas of your life—rather than Jesus being at the center of all your decisions. Obsessions can be about anything: appearances, video games, sports, clothes, relationships, etc. Schoolwork can even become an obsession. The bottom line is this: If you place your identity in anything other than your relationship with Jesus, then your life is built on unsteady sand (Matthew 7:24-29). Sure, an obsession may not be about an evil thing, but the way we pursue that thing can become evil when we let it take the place of God in our hearts. So what do we do when we realize something in our lives has become an obsession? We turn to Jesus. He loves us more than any other, and He has come to set us free. • David Shorts • God created us out of love, to be loved by Him and to love Him back. It’s because of God’s love that Jesus died for us and rose again. Any obsession we may have will leave us empty. But Jesus invites us to fulness of life with Him (John 10:10). In your own life, what things have become obsessions, decision-makers, or idols—either in the past, or in the present? • What might it look like to love God and honor Him through the activities you enjoy, without placing your identity in them? This is a question we need to ask ourselves throughout our lives, but God is so patient with us, and He is eager to help us. Consider taking some time to talk to Him about these things. In addition to talking to God, who is a trusted Christian in your life you could talk to? We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (WEB) 

READ: PSALMS 25:1-5; 32:8; ISAIAH 30:21; JOHN 8:12   God is the one who guides my way, Directs my path, and leads each day. I want to go where He takes me, Even in times when I can’t see.   The road for me is dark ahead. He takes me by the hand and says, “I know the path that you should take. Trust me for the right choice to make.”   So I press on, holding His hand, And with His strength, I always stand. Turn to the left, turn to the right, I trust Him because He’s my light.   I don’t know what the future holds, But trust God’s plan to soon unfold. He holds the future in His hand. On His promises I will stand. • Brooke Morris   • Life can be confusing, especially when we don’t know what the future holds or we need help making a big decision. Thankfully, Jesus is always with us, even when we feel uncertain about His plans for us. When we feel afraid or anxious about the future, how might it help to imagine Jesus holding our hand, walking with us? • God loves to help us discern the next steps to take, and He provides an abundance of wisdom through His Word (the Bible), His Holy Spirit, and His people (the church). Can you think of a time God gave you wisdom to make a decision about the future? What was that like? Consider taking a moment to thank Him for this. • When we’re waiting to see how our circumstances turn out, what are some of God’s promises we can rest on? (Matthew 11:28-30; 28:20; Romans 8:35-39; James 1:5; Revelation 21:1-5) “The LORD will guide you always.” Isaiah 58:11 (NIV) 

READ: JOHN 20:24-29; ACTS 17:10-12; PHILIPPIANS 1:9-11 We all have doubts and questions from time to time. Does God exist? Are heaven and hell real? Does the Bible actually teach what people say it does? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Maybe it’s questions from a friend that make us doubt. Maybe it’s something we hear on social media, in a movie, in a book, or from a teacher. Or maybe it’s just our own wondering hearts. Let me assure you: it’s absolutely okay to doubt. It can even be good! Faith is not blind belief in what someone tells us. Instead, it’s a trusting reliance on a God we can know personally. Doubts can help us realize what we still need to learn… and what we don’t yet understand. That’s a healthy part of the Christian life. It wouldn’t be healthy, though, if we just ignored our doubts, or if we gave in to them. We have to do something about them. We have to answer them. How? The way we answer any question: with thought and research. But also, with prayer. God invites us to entrust our doubts to Him, asking Him to make the answers clear to us and to help us know Him better in the process. For example, if you can’t come up with reasons why you know God exists, maybe ask a trusted Christian in your life to tell you their reasons—such as a friend, pastor, or family member—or find a book by a Christian apologetics expert. If you’re wondering whether something you’ve been taught is truly right, be like the Bereans in Acts 17—pick up a Bible, and find out what God has to say! Easy? Certainly not always. But if we don’t challenge ourselves, if we don’t ask tough questions and search for tough answers, how will we grow? Remember, God can use our questions—and the things we learn from them—to equip us for the missions He has for us in His kingdom. So we don’t need to be afraid of doubts. As Jesus mercifully appeared to Thomas when he doubted—showing Thomas His wounds from the cross to prove that He was alive again—Jesus reveals Himself and comes near to us in our search for tough answers. • Christiana Albrecht • What doubts do you have about your faith? Which topics make you uncomfortable? • Is it hard for you to admit that you don’t have all the answers? Why do you think that is? • When you find yourself struggling with doubt, who is a trusted Christian in your life you can talk openly with—someone who will listen well, pray with you and for you, and remind you that you are forgiven and loved, completely and eternally, in spite of your doubts? But test all things. Hold on to what is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (CSB) 

READ: PSALM 139:23-24; 2 TIMOTHY 1:9-13; 2:19-26 As a kid, one of my jobs after dinner was to clear the table and help wash the dishes. Many of my mom’s fancy dishes couldn’t go into the dishwasher but had to be washed by hand. I can still remember the feeling of having finally rinsed them and put them on the drying rack, only to discover there were some spots I had missed. Bits of dried food would be left under the brim or deep in some crevice, and the dish would have to be washed again. The only way to be sure the dishes were completely clean was to turn them over and over under the hot water, searching out every nook and cranny with a soapy sponge. The same is true with our spiritual lives. In 2 Timothy 2, Paul says to Timothy, “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also those of wood and clay; some for honorable [or special] use and some for dishonorable [or ordinary use]. So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work” (verse 20-21). How do we purify ourselves like this? Paul goes on to instruct Timothy to flee the lusts of youth, to pursue what is good, to “reject foolish and ignorant disputes,” and to instead patiently and gently teach his opponents in hopes that God will grant them repentance (verse 22-26). In order to move toward righteousness and away from wickedness, we need to search out our hearts, thinking deeply and inviting the Holy Spirit to come into those places where, if we’re honest, we would really rather He not go. And this is something we do in community with other believers. Paul says in verse 22 that we are to do this “along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” Together, we pursue righteousness and obedience to Jesus Christ, who saved us from sin by His own death and resurrection. When we are in relationship with brothers and sisters in Christ, we can lovingly point out things in each other’s lives that need repentance and growth. We don’t do this out of pride or arrogance, but out of love for Christ and for one another. God wants to cleanse every nook and cranny of your heart. Will you invite Him to do that today? • Jacob Bier • To be holy is to be set apart. What does holiness have to do with service? How does unconfessed sin get in the way of serving the Lord? And how does Jesus cleanse us? So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 2 Timothy 2:21 (CSB) 

READ: LUKE 9:10-17; ROMANS 5:5; 1 THESSALONIANS 3:12 Do you like leftovers? I love them. I would prefer to take leftovers as my lunch over a sandwich any day! When I was growing up, I remember my grandmother would designate one day of the week to have “must-go” casserole for supper. That meant she would take all the leftovers from the week before and make some sort of casserole—it was always something unique. Personally, I’m thankful for leftovers because it means that my family has more than enough to eat. The amazing thing about today’s Scripture passage is that there were leftovers. Jesus was feeding over 5,000 people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. There shouldn’t have been any leftovers at all. In fact, there should have been several thousand people who didn’t get anything to eat. Instead, Jesus did a miracle, and there ended up being more food than they started out with—that day was overflowing with leftovers. God can do that in the lives of His people too. He can take a sinner who has lots of bitterness, anger, and unforgiveness, and He can fill them with His overflowing love—so much so that they have leftover love to give to others. The truth is, we’re all sinners apart from Jesus. But once we know Jesus, we can share His abundant love in any situation because, as Romans 5:5 says, “God’s love has been poured out in our hearts.” And His love is too good not to share! • Melissa Yeagle • Can you think of a time someone showed God’s love to you? What did they say or do? • In God’s kingdom, there is always more than enough love, compassion, and forgiveness to go around—because Jesus’s death and resurrection is just that powerful! (You can find more about this good news on our "Know Jesus" page.) And if we know Jesus, we never need to worry about running out of love because His Holy Spirit lives in us. The love we share with others doesn’t come from us—it comes from God! When do you find it difficult to love others? Consider taking a moment to talk to God about this. You can always ask Him to remind you of how much He loves you and the people around you. We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (CSB) 

READ: MATTHEW 11:28-30; MARK 6:30-44; LUKE 5:16; 6:12-13 Have you ever heard the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand? If you’ve spent a lot of time in Sunday School or youth groups, familiar stories like this one can be easy to skim over. But when I reread Mark recently, I found my eyes drawn to the verses just before this miracle. It’s fair to assume that Jesus and His twelve apostles are exhausted. They have been so busy they haven’t even had a chance to eat. So Jesus tells His disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31). It is a quiet place…a solitary place. The disciples call it remote, far enough from civilization that, when the crowds follow them because they want to see Jesus, the twelve urge Him to send the people away to the surrounding villages to find food. In a place like this, there was nothing to distract the apostles from Jesus. Life can be exhausting. School and friends and chores eat up our time and energy, and before we know it our time alone with Jesus falls to the wayside. All of these things are important, but God calls us to take time away to rest in Him. When was the last time you spent time alone with Jesus? He doesn’t call you to work until you fall over, even if your work is all good things. He calls His disciples away to a remote place to rest…and then to return to work with renewed energy. • Rebekah DeVall • Can you think of a time you felt exhausted? Did you notice any ways God invited you to rest in that time? • What is a quiet or solitary place you can visit to spend some time with Jesus? It might be a private spot in your home, a peaceful nook in the library, or somewhere outside. If you’re not sure where you could go, consider taking a moment to ask God to help you notice where He is providing a place for you. So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. Mark 6:32 (NIV) 

READ: MATTHEW 14:25-33; HEBREWS 12:1-2 Lemarti woke up on the third day doubting his purpose here in the treehouse village. As a dendrology intern he felt lonely and useless. Was he wasting everyone’s time? Sure, he’d studied trees in his classes the past couple years, but these people had been researching—and living in—the forest for generations. Every day he discovered more things he still had to learn, and he felt like he just couldn’t keep up. He growled into his pillow, “How do I think about everything, Lord? What do I focus on? How do I find courage to be a part of this village?” He rubbed his face and sat up. So far Lemarti had managed to stick to traveling by stairs, ladders, and the swinging rope bridges built with planks. Today Kolufo, his guide and trainer, told him it was time to learn a new crossing method. “Look, it’s not that bad,” said Kolufo. “Sure, you’re standing on a rope. But there’s another rope to hang on to! Easy sneezy! Just walk across.” Lemarti surveyed the two parallel ropes that reached ten feet to the lab. “Easy sneezy,” he murmured, and grabbed the hand rope that stretched across at arm level. He slid one foot onto the bottom rope. His eyes shot to the forest floor one hundred feet down. The net just below him was almost invisible, and he didn’t quite believe it would catch him. He froze. “Lemarti,” groaned Kolufo. “You’ve got to stop looking around. Look ahead at the lab and walk toward it.” “I can’t help it,” Lemarti hissed. “I keep looking at all those other houses and then at the ground, and then I have a heart attack.” “Here, let’s switch.” Kolufo grabbed the rope and scooted across. “Okay, now you try, but this time, just look at me. If you look down or at all these cool treehouses or whatever, I’m going to take the best microscope. Come on.” Lemarti grabbed the high rope, took a deep breath, and stared at Kolufo. He slid his feet forward. The treehouse village disappeared. The space below him was gone. All he could see was Kolufo. This was exactly what he needed to do with Jesus—keep his eyes on Him, and everything else would make sense. Kolufo grabbed his hand and helped him off the ropes. • Amy Glendinning • Today’s allegorical story is inspired by Matthew 14:25-33. Jesus was walking on the sea, and then Peter started walking toward Jesus—on the water—until he looked at the powerful wind and waves, and he began to sink. But immediately, Jesus reached out and rescued Peter. Similarly, when we keep our eyes on Jesus, instead of on all the overwhelming things in our lives and the world around us, He helps us follow Him one step at a time (John 8:12; 15:5). But, even when we take our eyes off Jesus and fall, He is our safety net. He knows we won’t follow Him perfectly, and He died and rose again to forgive our sins and give us eternal life with Him. How could these truths give us comfort and courage as we navigate life in our broken world? • Can you think of a time you were overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do? Were there any ways Jesus redirected your focus back onto Him. • Have you ever had a moment where looking at Jesus helped the things in your life make sense? What was that like? • What are some practical ways you can keep your eyes on Jesus? Remember, none of us can do this alone. Who is a trusted Christian in your life who can remind you of Jesus’s power and love, point you to Scripture, and pray with you and for you, especially when life is difficult. And let’s run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God....

READ: JOHN 1:9-13; ROMANS 8:16-17; 1 JOHN 3:1-3 Have you ever heard someone say they were “created to be” an artist or an athlete or a leader? Growing up, I believed I was created to write because it brings me so much joy and allows me to encourage others. Perhaps there’s something you enjoy doing that has come to feel central to your identity too. But what if we weren’t created to “do,” but to “be”? The problem with basing our identity around any earthly thing is that when that activity or relationship isn’t going well, it can feel like our value plummets. That doesn’t mean those things are wrong. Obeying God may even look like participating in those activities, but these pursuits aren’t why God created us. God created us to be His children. You are God’s daughter or son, simply because you have believed in Him and trusted in Jesus’s finished work on the cross. As God’s children, we recognize that we need God to take care of us, just as children need their parents to care for them. God delights in us, even when we stumble and require His helping hand (Zephaniah 3:17). He reminds us that our identity as His beloved, forgiven children will not be shaken even if everything else in our lives crumbles. Before we can do anything to glorify God, we must first root ourselves in our identity in Christ (Ephesians 2:8-10). That doesn’t mean everything will come easy—just look at Jesus. Fully God and fully human, Jesus lived the perfect life and yet experienced tremendous suffering. But He was willing to endure the cross because He loves us, and He was determined to make the way for us to become God’s children. When Jesus rose from the grave, He promised to always be with us. So we can take heart knowing that even when we experience suffering, even if the things we love to do are stripped away, we will never have to walk alone. As God’s children, we will always be treasured in His eyes. • Hannah Chung • What activities, relationships, or other aspects of your life have contributed to your sense of self? • What do you think it means that we weren’t created to “do,” but to “be”? • How does it make you feel to know that God sees you as His child? How might rooting your identity in God’s love for you affect the way you approach life? See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1 (NIV) 

READ: ECCLESIASTES 3:1-8; ROMANS 8:28-30, 38-39; 2 CORINTHIANS 4:4-10 Here it is. Autumn. We see the first of the leaves beginning to change color. Even as they glow and look beautiful, the sight of them may fill some of us with a sense of dread. We know that as soon as the leaves fully change, they will begin to fall from the trees. Then the branches will be bare, the weather will turn chilly, and nothing will seem nearly as pretty or fun. But as the season changes, we don’t have to lose hope. God can use even our darkest, coldest, barest season for good. Jesus Himself went through the darkness, coldness, and bareness of death on our behalf; then He rose from the dead to bring us near to God and secure our resurrection when He returns. As we rest in the hope of what Jesus has done for us, God can help us grow so much, even in times when we feel like we are in a rut. He is at work in and through us even when we feel like we have nothing to offer. The coming of autumn doesn’t have to scare us. If we know Jesus, God is with us even now. He can use any season for good. When leaves fall, there is hope that they will come back again. It’s not the end for them. And when things end or change in our lives, there is always hope for something new. Even as the days get darker and the trees become bare and cold, there is hope for spring ahead. God will help you through this season, and as you lean into His love, you may even get to see how He uses it for good in your life. • Bethany Acker • Even in dark seasons, God is at work. Can you think of any ways you’ve seen God bring something good out of a difficult time, either in your own life or someone else’s? • We won’t always see the good things God is doing through our dark seasons, but we can know that He is with us and He will never leave us. How could this be an encouragement in your life? • During the darker, colder months of the year, it’s normal to feel more sad, lonely, or anxious than usual, and God invites us to process these feelings with Him and the people He has placed in our lives. If you find yourself experiencing an overwhelming amount of depression or anxiety, who is a trusted Christian adult you can talk to? • If you’re not sure who to talk to, you can request a free conversation with Focus on the Family’s Counseling Department by calling 1-855-771-HELP (4357) weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Time). Please be prepared to leave your contact information for a counselor to return a call to you as soon as possible. In Canada, book your appointment by calling 1-800-661-9800 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time) and ask to speak with the care associate. For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT) 

READ: PHILIPPIANS 4:4-13; COLOSSIANS 3:1-4; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18 No one understands! I’m a failure—useless. People would be better off without me. I didn’t want to feel like this, but the thoughts came anyway. Would anyone notice if I was gone? Have you ever felt like this—hopeless and discouraged? If you’re a child of God, Satan is going to want to stop you. What better way to stop you from serving God than to make you feel useless and like a failure? But what does God say in His Word? In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul writes something shocking: “Give thanks in everything.” Paul, the man who had faced more discouragement than most—the man who had been beaten numerous times, imprisoned, stoned, shipwrecked, mocked, and who was struggling with a “thorn in the flesh” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)—tells us to give thanks! Not only that. He goes on to say it’s God’s will for us to be thankful. Didn’t Paul feel discouraged? Absolutely! He admits he wasn’t naturally thankful or content; it was something he had to learn (Philippians 4:11). When Paul told us to give thanks, he knew it would be hard. He knew heartache, pain, discouragement, and depression. But he also knew God. Hopelessness is not what God wants for us. And He doesn’t leave us alone in our despair—He came to us in Jesus. Because of Jesus’s death and resurrection, we can know that all the hard things we go through are temporary, and our struggles don’t define us. When we give thanks to God, it turns our focus onto Him and the abundant hope He has given us through Jesus. If we dwell on our difficulties, we will be discouraged, but when we turn to God, thanking Him in every situation, we experience His joy. Is it easy to give thanks during the hard things? When your friends betray you, when your mom is in the hospital, and when you don’t fit in? No, of course not. But the reason God calls us to thankfulness is because He loves us and wants to point us to Christ. He is the true source of joy. • Priscilla J. Krahn • What are some good things God has brought out of difficult things in your life? • How does the gospel, and looking forward to Jesus’s return, affect how we understand God’s call to give thanks in every situation? (For more about this good news, see our "Know Jesus" page.) • If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless, who is a trusted adult you could talk to today? Give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (CSB) 

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:12-27; GALATIANS 5:13 Whether we have known Jesus for a long time or a little while, we are part of His body—the church— because He saved us through His death and resurrection. But we may mistakenly think we can’t do important things in the church until we’re adults. Thankfully, I wasn’t even a teen yet when I learned that was not true. I grew up in a very small church, so small that there were never enough adults to do everything. That was good for me—when they let me become a Sunday School teacher at only twelve years old. Obviously, they felt desperate. No adult was available, so they were kind of stuck. The crazy thing is that I loved it, the little kids loved me, and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I loved telling the kids about the God who loved them, and the class grew. I learned that I was an important part of the body of Christ. The church needed me, and I needed them. You might not be part of such a small church as I was. You may not see obvious needs in front of you. But I encourage you to look for ways you can serve, because your siblings in Christ need you. This will require you to depend on the Holy Spirit in ways you may not have done intentionally before. But as you rely on His love to serve others, looking to Jesus—the one who served you by laying down His life for you—His love will overflow from you, and He will help you grow in spiritual maturity. Think about things you could do and enjoy doing. Greet people? Prepare food? Sing or play an instrument? Help with technology? Set up chairs? Do yard work? Organize food and clothing donations? Create art? Teach children? Give a friend a ride to youth group? Ask God to show you where He is inviting you to serve…and watch what He’ll do through you. • Lisa Bouma Garvelink • If you know Jesus, then you are part of the body of Christ, and God has given you gifts and abilities you can use to serve others in the body. How might God be inviting you to serve? In addition to talking to God about this, who are trusted Christians in your life you could talk to? Don’t let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. 1 Timothy 4:12 (NLT) 

READ: GENESIS 1:26-30; PSALM 139:13-16; EPHESIANS 1:4-8; 5:1   I stare at my face in the lake below. I watch the ripples of the water grow. A precious human made by God above On whom He pours out His unending love.   Who am I to serve the powerful King, The creator God over everything? Why did He choose me? I don’t understand What He thought when He chose me with His hand.   But then, in my heart His voice I can hear. He speaks quietly, but His words are clear. “I love you, my child. Why do you not see You are a living reflection of me?”   “You are always mine whatever they say. I will be with you and will guide your way.” I smile as the tears flow down from my eyes And I look up at the breathtaking skies. • Brooke Morris   • It’s so easy to believe the lie that we’re worthless because of what others say about us or what we think about ourselves. Even though you might not like yourself at times, God always loves you. In fact, He even likes you! He created you on purpose, and He wants you to be with Him forever. That’s why He became human, died, and rose again—to take away the sin that separates us from Him. How does it make you feel knowing that Jesus sacrificed His life for you? • Every person is made in the image of God, and everyone has value! And, if you are a believer in Jesus, then you can also reflect God’s glory because you are His child and you have the Holy Spirit, who fills you with God’s love and helps you live in His good ways. When we’re feeling discouraged, how can these truths give us hope? So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT) 

READ: JOHN 8:1-11; ROMANS 3:23-24; 8:1 Unable to speak, the woman felt fear pulse through her as heavy hands pushed her toward the temple. “We’ll see what the teacher has to say about this,” one of the religious leaders jeered. Despite the scorching heat and the sun shining in her eyes, the woman was cold. Not like this, she thought. A foolish mistake, and I’m paying for it with my life. Too shocked to cry, she felt her heart beat frantically. No escape, she thought, shivering as she turned away from the prying eyes surrounding her. “Teacher,” said one of the leaders, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” The crowd of men carried rough rocks in their hands, ready to throw. Silence. The woman glanced at Him, and He met her gaze—not with the cruel eyes of condemnation, but with compassion. She had to tear herself away from His gaze; for in that glance, she knew He could read her innermost heart and thoughts. She understood this was the man—Jesus—who she had heard rumors about. Stooping down, Jesus wrote in the sand, reflecting before finally breaking the ache of the silence: “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” Silence fell once again. Anticipating the pain, the woman winced as she heard the thud of a rock colliding with the ground. Only it didn’t hit her. One by one, the stones were cast down, and the religious leaders walked away, until she was standing alone with Jesus. “Woman, where are they?” Jesus asked. “Has no one condemned you?” “No one, Lord,” she replied. “Neither do I condemn you. Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” Joy and relief flooded her. Jesus had set her free. • Cindy Lee • Today’s story is how one author imagines John 8, when some religious leaders tried to trap Jesus. Consider taking some time to read this passage slowly. What do you notice about Jesus? • Jesus came, not to condemn us, but to save us (John 3:16-17). We have all sinned, and we all need Jesus’s forgiveness just as much as anyone else. Because Jesus died and rose again, we do not need to pay the price for our sin because He paid it for us. How can this truth affect the way we view our own sin, as well as the sin of others? “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.” John 8:11 (CSB) 

READ: ROMANS 6:1-23; 8:1, 11 There’s nothing worse than feeling stuck in an endless cycle of sin. These sin cycles steal our life, slowly consuming us until we don’t even recognize ourselves. Pornography is a sin that is very difficult to give up, feeding the cycle of frustration and self-hatred. Thankfully, there is one who can break that cycle. Jesus helps you break the power of pornography, or any sin in your life, in a few ways. First, He offers forgiveness to those who know Him. Because Jesus lived a perfect life—then took our sins upon Himself when He died on the cross—He removed God’s righteous wrath from us and gave us His righteousness before God. In other words, when God looks at us, He doesn’t see our sin. He sees Jesus’s perfection. How does that help break our sinful patterns? By killing our self-hatred. Yes, it is right to mourn sin, and it’s okay to be frustrated with yourself and to bring those frustrations to God. But that doesn’t mean that you have to live there. Jesus came to bring an end to that mourning (2 Corinthians 7:10). By recognizing that Jesus has forgiven us and thanking Him for His incredible grace, we stop dwelling on our own sins and start to meditate on God’s goodness. Second, God also gives us help through Jesus’s resurrection. God’s power raised Jesus from the dead, and that same power lives in you if you know Jesus. God’s power, through the Holy Spirit, is the only way to defeat sin. You can always ask God to remind you that His Spirit lives in you and can defeat sin for you. You can also find hope knowing that, because of Jesus’s resurrection, you will one day be resurrected from the dead, free of sin and brokenness forever. Lastly, Jesus gives us community. Find a trusted Christian you can confess your sin struggles to, and ask them to keep you accountable. After all, breaking the power of pornography is often a group effort. Ask them to remind you of Jesus’s forgiveness and His power that lives in you. God is stronger than any sin, and He can bring healing. • Taylor Eising • What sin cycles do you struggle with? Who can you talk to about it? How does Jesus help you break it? (If no one comes to mind, you can ask God to help you identify someone in the future.) • How could you help your friends when they are stuck in a sin cycle? The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Romans 8:11 (NLT) 

READ: GENESIS 1:26-27; 2:24; MATTHEW 5:27-30; 6:22-24 Most people do not realize how harmful pornography is. For many, porn consumption is considered a normal part of adolescence, and some say that it’s a healthy expression of sexuality. And God wants us to be healthy, right? Well, yes, He does. And that’s exactly why He warns us in the Bible that lust, in any context, is a sin. And sin is damaging. Whenever we lust after a person, we are dehumanizing somebody who has been made in God’s image. We are taking that person and, in our minds, using them for our own gain instead of viewing them with selfless love and honoring the dignity that person has as an image-bearer of God. You may not know this, but porn consumption fuels the sex trafficking industry. There is a good chance that the people in those pictures or videos did not consent to that lifestyle; they were likely threatened, coerced, or otherwise forced into producing pornographic content. Even if the actors in some content did consent, viewing porn from any producer supports the entire industry, including those who engage in sex trafficking. The good news is that Jesus lived a sinless life for us, despite the temptations He felt (Hebrews 4:14-16). He died on the cross to take away our sin and resurrected from the dead to give us victory over sin and death. If you or someone you know is struggling with porn, there is hope. If you know Jesus, you have the power of His resurrection living inside you, and He is there to help you fight sin every step of the way—even when you fall. All your sins— past, present, and future—are forgiven in Christ. Lean into His incredible, ridiculous grace. • Taylor Eising • Pornography, and every form of lust, are not good because they are outside of God’s good design. He created sex to be shared and enjoyed by a husband and wife within marriage. But lust and pornography warp the good gift of sex God has given us. Thankfully, Jesus offers us freedom. If you struggle with lust, who is a trusted Christian in your life you can talk to about it? If you don’t struggle with this temptation, how can you support your friends who do? • In Christ, we are dead to sin (Romans 6:6-7, 11, 15-23). How does this affect the way we battle with temptation? • What are some ways you can pray for those involved in sex trafficking? And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11 (CSB)