Show Notes
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)
More from Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens
READ: JEREMIAH 1:1-9; 11:1-5; 1 TIMOTHY 4:12; 2 TIMOTHY 2:23-26
READ: MATTHEW 6:19-21; JOHN 3:16-17; 14:1-4; REVELATION 19:6-9; 21:1-5
READ: PSALM 139:1-4; ROMANS 5:6-8; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 We curate the caption and crop the distraction, Chasing the applause of a virtual reaction. We polish the exterior to hide the interior, Afraid that our true selves are somehow inferior. But in the quiet, when the screen goes black, We feel the heavy weight of the perfection we lack. See, Jesus didn’t come for your highlight reel, He came for the brokenness you try to conceal. No filter could cover the crimson cost of sin, So He opened His arms to let the rebels in. On the cross, He was exposed, stripped, and bruised, So the real you would never have to be refused. He was buried in the dark so you could walk in the light, Tearing the veil to make your future bright. The grave couldn’t hold Him, the stone rolled away, Giving you mercy that is new every day. You are not a brand, a post, or a trend, You are chosen, beloved, and called His friend. So drop the performance, let the pretense cease, And rest in the rhythm of His perfect peace. • Ty Scott King • Why do you think it’s sometimes easier to show people a curated version of ourselves rather than who we really are? What parts of yourself do you try to curate, edit, and hide away? • Jesus sees the unedited version of you, and He loves you so much that He died and rose again for you. How could this truth affect the way yo view your mistakes, flaws, or things you just don’t like about yourself? • Are there any areas of your life where you feel like you’re putting on a performance instead of trusting God’s grace? Consider spending some time in prayer, laying these things down at Jesus’s feet and asking Him to help you see yourself the way He sees you. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)