Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

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)

Patience

READ: EPHESIANS 4:2; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:14; JAMES 5:7-8 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=EPHESIANS%204%3A2%3B%201%20THESSALONIANS%205%3A14%3B%20JAMES%205%3A7-8&version=NIV] I’m going to be honest—I am terrible at being patient. I get frustrated with long lines, slow computers, and people who walk at a snail’s pace but take up the whole sidewalk so there’s no way to pass them. I also get impatient when I feel like God isn’t listening to my prayers. Doesn’t He know how much I need the thing I’m asking for? Doesn’t He care about my hurts and all that is wrong in the world? The answer to both of these questions, turns out, is a resounding yes. God knows all our needs even before we ask, and He cares so deeply for us—and for all His creation—that He came in flesh to set us free from sin and death and bring us into relationship with Himself. He invites us to come to Him with all our struggles—to trust Him, patiently. Although practicing patience is sometimes unpleasant, it’s possible because God is patient with us. Jesus, who is God the Son, was patient with people when He lived among us on earth. Throughout His ministry, even though He told people who He was and what He came here to do, many of them—even His closest friends—still got confused about His purposes. They wanted someone who was going to come in and overthrow Rome, but that wasn’t the kind of king Jesus set out to be. Instead, He endured the cross, knowing that on the third day, He would rise again. In the same way, God the Father is patient with us as He waits for our repentance, those moments when we come to our senses and turn away from sin, back toward Him (2 Peter 3:9). God continues to love us and wait for us, even if we’re ignoring Him (Luke 15:11-24). Since God is so patient with us, that means whenever we’re struggling to wait, we can go to Him. As we rest in His love and remember His goodness, we often find it becomes easier to wait on the Lord. • Naomi Zylstra • What’s something you do that requires patience? • If we know Jesus, we have His Holy Spirit in us, and one of the fruits the Spirit produces in our lives is patience (Galatians 5:22-23). On top of that, we have the sure hope that all our waiting will be worth it, because when Jesus returns, He will make everything new and we will live with Him forever in restored creation, finally free from sin and brokenness (Revelation 21:1-5). How could these truths give us comfort and strength in times of waiting—whether we’re waiting for something in our own lives, or waiting for God to right the wrongs we see in the world? Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12 (NIV)

In a Pit

READ: PSALM 103:4; ROMANS 8:38-39; COLOSSIANS 2:13-15; 2 PETER 3:8-13 [https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=PSALM%20103%3A4%3B%20ROMANS%208%3A38-39%3B%20COLOSSIANS%202%3A13-15%3B%202%20PETER%203%3A8-13&version=NIV] Life digs a pit and throws me, kicking and flailing, inside. I hit the bottom hard. There’s no escape, so I call out, “Lord, save me! I’m not meant to exist in this pit. I know Your plan is good!” I sit down and wait for my Savior, expectant for His face to appear over the edge. Time passes, and I fidget, wondering why it’s taking Jesus so long to intervene. I know He heard me. I stand up. I hear noises! My eyes flit back and forth, expecting a rope or a hand. Instead, I see dirt from a shovel come flying into the pit. I duck my head just in time to protect my eyes. More scoops come until my head and shoulders are dusty and my nostrils twitch with oncoming sneezes. “Who’s up there?” I shout. Satan pokes his head over the edge and grins. “It’s me. Adding misery to what Life does. Fun, isn’t it?” Another scoop follows his words down to the bottom of the pit. I back myself against the dirt wall. I press my lips together, trying to keep my heart steadfast. I know my Savior loves me. But the shovelfuls don’t stop, and eventually, I snap. “Lord, if you’re not gonna get me out of here, could You at least bring me a shovel so I can throw some dirt back at him?” I shout. “Don’t You care that Satan’s winning?!” Jesus comes. All the way to the bottom. He has a board, and He begins using it to tamp the loose dirt. He sings the Song of Grace as He works. I frown. “Why are you down here? Can’t You get me out? Don’t You wanna thwart Satan’s dirt?” Jesus looks at me with love. “Trust Me,” He says. “It might look like Satan is winning, but here’s the secret. I am using his evil, feeble work to fill in the pit. He thinks he is destroying forever. But I am restoring things—even this very pit— using his evil intentions for good. When I am done tamping, we will walk out of the pit together on solid, level ground.” • H. K. Rausch • Today’s story is an allegory. Though we live in a world that has been broken by sin, Jesus came to save us through His death and resurrection. He has defeated all the powers of sin and Satan, and one day Jesus will return and make all things new and whole! Until then, we will experience suffering and hardship, but we can know that Jesus is right here with us in the midst of it. What kinds of struggles have you had lately? Consider taking some time to tell Jesus about them. • In addition to talking to Jesus, who are trusted Christians you can talk to about your struggles? And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (NIV)