Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

Is It Okay to Date Them?

READ: 1 KINGS 11:4-6; 1 CORINTHIANS 7:39; 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-18 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20KINGS%2011%3A4-6%3B%201%20CORINTHIANS%207%3A39%3B%202%20CORINTHIANS%206%3A14-18&version=NIV] He’s cute, he’s sweet, and he’s oh-so-nice. But he’s not a Christian. She goes to church, and she’s so much fun, but Christ is not particularly important to her. Is it okay to date them? Being attracted to someone who doesn’t love Christ can be a really tough situation. Trust me, I’ve been there. What can you do? First off, dating them is a bad idea. I’m really sorry. If Christ is the center of your life and identity, you can’t have a partner for whom Christ isn’t important. Even if they’re happy to live your Christian life right now, they don’t share your ultimate goal to love God and serve in His kingdom. It doesn’t matter how nice or “good” they might be. Entering a romantic relationship with someone who doesn’t know Jesus is often a path to heartache, sin, and regret. So, you say no. Sound hard? It is. It’s the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever done. But if I survived it, so can you. Because Christ is sufficient for us (2 Corinthians 12:9). “But wait!” you may ask, “what if they become a Christian? Then can I date them?” If they really are sincere about following Christ—and wouldn’t give up on Him even if you weren’t in their life—then, yes. They’re God’s child, and you’re on equal footing. Good news: there are lots of real-life examples of this happening! Bad news: there are also a lot of real-life examples of someone “converting,” but really only doing it for the other person, and never truly loving Christ. That’s an even worse situation, so be careful. If someone says they know Jesus, take your time before starting to date them. Find out why they believe and get lots of counsel from godly Christian adults in your life. When in doubt? Wait and pray. And remember that, if Christ has a future spouse for you, it’ll be someone who really loves Him. You can trust God for your future. • Christiana Albrecht • Have you ever been attracted to someone who doesn’t love Christ? What did you do? • Do you know any Christians who are currently married to non-Christians? What could you learn from their experiences? How could you pray for them? • If you’re attracted to someone who doesn’t share your faith, talk to Jesus about it. He has so much compassion on you. He knows your hurts, and He’s with you through it all (Hebrews 4:14-16). Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV)

It's Okay to Be Single

READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 7:1-9, 25-38 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20CORINTHIANS%207%3A1-9%2C%2025-38&version=NLT] You know that cute couple who’s always taking pictures of how much fun they’re having together and raving about one another? Ever been envious of them? It can feel really lonely to be the person who is still single when your friends are all dating. The Bible has good news: it’s okay to be single! In fact, sometimes it can be better than being in a relationship. In 1 Corinthians 7:7, the apostle Paul writes, “But I wish everyone were single, just as I am.” Why on earth does Paul say that? Think of that couple again. They spend a lot of time thinking about each other, don’t they? Some of that is good, but the trouble begins when we’re so busy thinking about making our partner happy that we don’t think about living to please God. He has great plans and purposes for each of us. But it’s easy to lose our focus on God’s love and goodness when we start to place our identity in our relationship status instead of in Jesus Christ. So, is it okay to date and get married? Absolutely. In this same chapter in 1 Corinthians, Paul makes it clear that it’s not a sin to get married and that faithful, loving Christian marriage between a man and a woman is one good way people can serve God and show His love. But it’s important to think honestly about whether your romantic relationship helps you serve God better. Do you help each other grow deeper in your relationships with Christ? Are you able to serve each other and work together to serve others? When you’re together, do you see the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)? Those are good reasons to date. But if you’re in a relationship just to make you happy, the way you see yourself may start to be defined by that relationship, instead of by how God sees you and what Christ has done for you. Being single can have its challenges, but remember, a lot of people in “happy” relationships end up very unhappy, and very regretful. The good news is, God wants to share His joy with us, and He can redeem even the messiest of circumstances. If you’re single, you might be surprised by how content you can feel as you eagerly look for opportunities to serve God, only pursuing a romantic relationship if that’s where He leads you (1 Corinthians 7:33-35). Regardless of our relationship status, as we seek to follow Christ above all else, we find true joy. • Christiana Albrecht • As Christians, we’re part of God’s family (Romans 8:16-18). Married or single, we are never alone because we have Jesus and the community of His people. Who in the church has shown God’s love to you? How could you show Jesus’s love, especially to those who might be lonely? But I [Paul] wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another. 1 Corinthians 7:7 (NLT)

What If I Don't Know the Answer?

READ: ISAIAH 55:8-9; PHILIPPIANS 2:12; HEBREWS 11 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=%3A%20ISAIAH%2055%3A8-9%3B%20PHILIPPIANS%202%3A12%3B%20HEBREWS%2011&version=CSB] In middle school, I was open in sharing my faith with friends, and they openly shared their beliefs with me too. It was fun having conversations about what we believed in and why. That is, until my friends started asking me more difficult questions, like, Was the Garden of Eden story true? Did the flood actually happen? Why would this man named “Jesus” die on the cross for us? I didn’t always have an answer. This sometimes made me feel embarrassed, like I didn’t really know what I believed in. Thankfully, I was involved in an awesome youth group where I could bring up these big questions I had about my faith. I was never ashamed to have questions; rather, I was encouraged to ask. My youth pastor and mentors would pray with me and open God’s Word to seek answers. And when I discovered an answer, I often had another question! But I realized that asking questions, seeking answers in God’s Word, and even asking a trusted adult for help massively grew my faith. You might have questions about your faith and not know where to look for answers. First, take a deep breath. It’s okay to feel this way. God is so huge and beyond our understanding that we get to spend our whole lives learning about Him! Second, don’t be afraid to take your questions to a trusted adult—like a parent, mentor, or youth pastor—asking them to pray and study God’s Word together with you. Over time, you may notice that the more you ask questions and seek answers and ask more questions, the more your faith will continue to grow. • Rachel Wierenga • Have you ever felt embarrassed to have questions about what you believe? Why do you think that is? God isn’t embarrassed by your questions. In fact, He invites them! He doesn’t expect us to know everything about Him and the Bible. Rather, He loves it when we’re curious about Him and His Word. And He loves to provide wisdom as we seek out answers. Once we’ve put our trust in Jesus, believing in His death and resurrection, He is with us through the Holy Spirit, guiding us as we seek to know Him more. And even when we don’t find clearanswers, God walks with us through the process of discovery, usingall of it to draw us closer to Himself. • What are your three biggest questions about what you believe? Who is a trusted Christian adult you can share these questions with? Consider seeking them out this week and see if you can set up a time to talk, pray, and study God’s Word together. “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 (CSB)

Facing the Fear of Failure

READ: 1 KINGS 3:4-14; 1 JOHN 1:9–2:2 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20KINGS%203%3A4-14%3B%201%20JOHN%201%3A9%E2%80%932%3A2&version=CSB] “What are you afraid of?” Ask ten different people, and you will likely get ten different answers! Our fears are very personal to us, depending on our past experiences. Still, one of the most common is the fear of failure. In the Bible, Solomon also feared failure. He was called to follow in the footsteps of Israel’s greatest king, his father David. It was a daunting task, and Solomon felt inadequate and unprepared. When God appeared to Solomon in a dream, this is what the young king prayed: “Give your servant a receptive heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?” (1 Kings 3:9). Solomon feared failure! He knew he needed God’s help, so he asked for a wise and discerning heart. Solomon’s prayer pleased God so much He not only gave Solomon wisdom, but riches and honor as well. Like Solomon, when we fear failure, we are invited to call out to God. As James 1:5 says, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” Knowing that God will give us wisdom for whatever He asks us to do is a great way to combat a fear of failure! We’re all going to fail sometimes—even Solomon failed (1 Kings 11:1-13). But, if we know Jesus, we are secure in Him. Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the grave—and in doing so He covered all our failures. So we can always lean on Him. He is faithful, not only to give us wisdom, but also to pick us up when we fall. • Laura N. Sweet • Can you think of a time you were afraid of failure? How could remembering that we are secure in Christ help quiet those fears? • In your own life, what are some situations where you need wisdom? Have you talked to Jesus about these situations? Consider taking some time to talk to Him now. • One of the ways God gives wisdom to His people is through wise counsel from mature Christians (Proverbs 11:14; Galatians 6:1-2; Colossians 3:16; James 3:13-18). Who is a trustworthy Christian you can talk with about any questions or fears you have? (If no one comes to mind, you can ask God to help you identify someone in the future.) [Solomon said,] “So give your servant a receptive heart to judge your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to judge this great people of yours?” 1 Kings 3:9 (CSB)

God's Masterpiece

READ: PSALMS 19:1-6; 96:5-6, 11-12 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALMS%2019%3A1-6%3B%2096%3A5-6%2C%2011-12&version=NLT] Dominic stepped out of his car into the crisp, cold air. It had been in the teens during the night, and the weather felt as cold as the relationships in his home. Things had gotten tense between his parents, and he needed time to think. Dominic pulled on his gloves and zipped up his coat as he headed for the muddy hiking trail. Ever since his dad had taken him out here when he was young, Dominic had always processed hard things by hiking. Drifts of snow mixed with melting runoff made his pace slow. But Dominic wasn’t in a hurry. He embraced the challenge and pushed through the remnants of winter to climb the hill. Working his way toward the top, Dominic’s muscles relaxed. The familiar climb brought rest to his mind. With every step, he was reminded that Jesus was with him through this. The quiet helped him remember. As he rounded the second bend, he glanced out and saw the bluish-white valley stretching out to the amber horizon. The majesty of the landscape motivated him to continue. The same God who sustains all this is the one who sustains me, he thought. Within thirty minutes, Dominic was standing at the top of the hill. Shorter hills encircled this slope, and Dominic gazed out as the sun climbed higher, reflecting off the snowy mounds. Suddenly, the hills were studded with brightly shining diamonds. Golden light jumped and danced off the crystalline snow. The brilliance was stunning. Dominic breathed deeply and basked in God’s morning masterpiece. • Eric Downs • Can you think of a time when being outside helped you relax, and maybe even reminded you of God’s goodness and power? What was that like? • What is one part of God’s creation you’re thankful for today? Consider taking a moment to tell God what you like about it. The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. Psalm 19:1 (NLT)