Unlocked: Daily Devotions for Teens

READ: ISAIAH 44:6-24; 1 JOHN 5:20-21

In ninth grade, I struggled with algebra. As the “smart kid,” I placed a lot of importance on my grades—not just because I wanted to do my best, but because excellent grades gave me a ticket to self-worth. Without academic success, I couldn’t point to anything that made me feel valuable.

One day, Mrs. Russell returned our recently graded tests. I sighed when I noticed the C on my paper. I looked up to see that the guy sitting in front of me, who I’ll call Derrick, had scored a high B. Derrick hadn’t been known for earning good grades. Stunned, I blurted, “How could I make a C, and Derrick gets a B?” I announced this loudly enough that Mrs. Russell heard, Derrick heard, my friend Audrey heard… the entire class probably heard.

Immediately I blushed with embarrassment. But the damage was done. Mrs. Russell scolded me as the bell rang. We left, and Audrey confronted me for saying something so mean. Later, I apologized to Derrick, who forgave me. But what had led to my verbal explosion?

I’d slipped into believing my life was found in academic accomplishments. Pursuing good grades can be worthwhile, but I’d made an idol out of them. Then, as I fumbled in algebra, I lashed out when that idol didn’t seem to work for me. And Derrick suffered because of it.

Thankfully, idolatry and sin are no match for Jesus. He has forgiven us through His death and resurrection, and He’s also given us a source of life beyond any short-term achievements. Once we know Jesus, we become God’s much-loved children, who worship Him as the “only wise God” (Romans 16:27). Idols like grades, sports, or the approval of others have nothing to offer us except emptiness. But Christ is our life (Colossians 3:4). • Allison Wilson Lee

• Where do you turn for a sense of fulfillment? If you’re not sure, pay attention to where your focus is. It could help to consider these questions: When you’re upset, where do you turn for reassurance? Which failures hurt the most? What achievements or talents are you proudest of? Noticing these things can help us identify our idols. It’s certainly not wrong to find satisfaction in the gifts God has given us, or to feel the pain of failure deeply, or to be proud of our abilities. But when we let these things rule our lives, instead of Christ, we’ve stumbled into idolatry. Thankfully, whenever we notice idols in our lives, Jesus invites us to bring them to Him. We can confess openly and rest in His sure forgiveness. He loves us, and the life He offers is so much better than anything an idol could give. He is eager to help us walk free of idolatry.

Dear children, keep away from anything that might take God’s place in your hearts. 1 John 5:21 (NLT) 

READ: NEHEMIAH 8:1-12; PSALMS 1:1-6; 119:34; LUKE 24:13-35

Sometimes we rush through reading the Bible. We’re too distracted, or we don’t really listen, or we don’t stick with it long enough to understand.

In Nehemiah 8, we see how the people of God responded to hearing His words. God’s law had been lost after their forebears abandoned God—pursuing wickedness, injustice, and idols instead. Eventually, God had allowed the destruction of their beloved city, Jerusalem.

But now, at last, the people of God gathered in Jerusalem once again. Their walls were rebuilt. The words of God were uttered aloud. Ezra the priest stood on a podium and read the precious text. The people stood all day long, eagerly eating up each word, as if devouring food after suffering a long period of hunger. It took all day. The crowd was so numerous that the Levite priests would pass the words back and explain to the next group, too far away to hear.

At last, the Israelites heard for themselves God’s laws, His thoughts, and His heart. And they grieved. Verse 9 says, “All the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.” That their ancestors had wandered so very far from God’s goodness was overwhelming. Their guilt weighed heavily on them. Enter Nehemiah, the brand-new governor who had just led the rebuilding of the city wall. He said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (verse 10). And they did! They celebrated “with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them” (verse 12).

The people understood the words, and the words confirmed they belonged to God. The long period of destruction was over. It was time for a new life, one where they would walk with God. And this pointed to the new life that would come through Jesus—how He would rescue us from the destruction of sin, dying on the cross and rising again so we could belong to God. When Jesus returns, we too will celebrate with a great feast, and our joy will be complete (John 15:11; Revelation 19:6-9)! In the meantime, as we walk with Jesus, His joy gives us the strength to go on. • Kristen Merrill

• Did you know that God’s plan for our lives includes great joy? He wants to fill us with joy as we meditate on His Word and delight in His love. While it’s easy to fall into gulping down our time in the Bible, how could you take some time today to linger over the truths in Scripture, and find understanding? (If you want to dig deeper, read Psalms 16:11; 37:4; Luke 2:10; 10:39-42.)

Nehemiah said, “. . .Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV) 

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) 

READ: ISAIAH 64:8; 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-7; 4:5-18; 12:9-10

Another crack! I peered at the inside of my arm, horrified. It began years ago, these fissures that looked like my skin split and was leaking gold. Most of the time, it didn’t hurt, but I was ashamed of how I looked. I tugged my long kimono sleeve down to hide the new imperfection, glancing around to make sure no one had seen.

There’s a pattern I’m noticing: When I do something wrong, a crack appears on my skin. When someone wrongs me, another one appears! If something tragic happens, another…and the scars remain. The first time was when my best friend in this great world passed away. A jagged lightning bolt tore across my heart. Fitting, for that’s how I felt—like my heart was being torn in two.

The second time, I took a few coins from my guardians’ shop when no one was looking. As I wrapped my fingers around the coins, I watched the skin on my hand split. Yet another time, one who was supposed to love and protect me struck me across the face. As I apply my makeup each morning, I remind myself not to cry and make the ugly visible.

As I walked slowly down the path of flat stones leading to the tea garden, contemplating, a bush beside me shuddered. I leapt to the side, my hands positioned for defense. A man who looked like a Wise One emerged from the bush. “My apologies for startling you; just trimming the bushes.” His dark eyes radiated a kindness I had not felt for a long time.

“What is your name?” His shears stilled as he regarded me. I dipped my head, allowing a dark curtain of hair to fall in my face. “Kowareta.”

“Ah, meaning broken—curious given your beauty.”

“You wouldn’t say that if you knew,” I responded bitterly.

“Try me.”

Something about him made me want to show the scars, and I rolled back my sleeve. He barely reacted to the fissure. “There are more,” I blurted, “and they don’t go away.

“But the broken can be beautiful,” he spoke softly. “Would you like to know how?”

“Please! I would give anything to have these scars erased!”

“My dear child, you misunderstand. There is One who makes your broken beautiful. There is One who sees every scar and uses it; the greater the cracks, the more the Light shines.”

Fear and desperation made me clench my fists. “I know the One you speak of. Years ago, I became His. But how could the Light shine through me when I am like this? I am ashamed; there is much I need to change.”

“He wants you just as you are. Look, even now the gold is a sign of His love. Trust Him.”

I felt it deep in my bones, like a fire running through every crack on my skin: Yes! How did I not see it before? The gold shows that I belong to Him. The scars remained, but I felt peace—a comforting Presence. A still, small voice whispered: Child, I will use them; all these scars. I have removed the shame from them. Because of my forgiveness and my healing, you and those around you will see the beauty I create with them. Your name is not Kowareta. It is Kintsugi, my daughter. • Savannah Coleman

• Today’s allegorical story is inspired by the Japanese art of kintsugi (golden joinery), in which broken pottery is repaired with lacquer, and gold dust is sprinkled onto the lacquer while it’s still wet, giving the repair a golden appearance. This process illuminates the imperfections, while simultaneously making the piece even more beautiful than before. God does something similar with us as He makes us new. Through Jesus’s death and resurrection, He can bring good even out of terrible things like sin and brokenness. When we sin, His glorious forgiveness is put on display (Romans 5:20–6:2). When we are hurt by the brokenness of the world, His beautiful kindness soothes our wounds. How can these truths affect the way we view our scars?

• Consider taking a moment to talk to Jesus about any broken places in your life, whether sins you’ve committed, ways others have wronged you, or painful things that have happened to you in this broken world. He sees, and He cares.

• In addition to talking to Jesus, who are trusted Christians in your life you can show your brokenness to—people who can show you Jesus’s compassion and help you see the beauty He is bringing from your scars? 

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7 (NIV)

READ: PSALMS 68:5; 145:8-9; LUKE 18:1-8

Have you ever felt like you have lost the heart to pray? It could be for any number of reasons. Jesus knows there are times we may be discouraged from praying, and so He tells a parable in Luke 18 meant to encourage His people to not give up praying.

The first character in this story is a judge. Right away, we learn this is not a God-fearing or people-respecting judge, meaning he’s probably not going to settle your case fairly. Chances are, to get a favorable ruling, you’d probably need to grease this judge’s palm.

Next, we meet the second character in the story: an impoverished widow seeking justice from the unjust judge. This widow doesn’t have the influence, power, or money necessary to sway his opinion. So, what does the widow do? She perseveres.

Eventually the judge gives the widow a just ruling because he becomes so sick and tired of her “pestering” him (verse 5)!

Now, we may read this parable and think the judge is supposed to be God. If that were true, then God would be a grumpy, unfair judge who only listens to us if we bug Him enough.

But this view of God couldn’t be further from the truth!

Notice how Jesus explains the parable in verses 6 and 7: if even the unjust judge in this story answered the widow’s request because of her perseverance, how much more will a perfectly just and loving God answer our requests? With this truth in mind, we can be encouraged to persevere in our prayers, knowing that God hears us with tenderness and compassion. • Jonathon Fuller

• Can you think of a time you lost the heart to pray? Jesus understands. He sees everything you’re going through, and He has so much empathy for you.

• When we’re hurting, it’s easy to imagine that God is coldhearted toward us. But He loves us so ardently that He was willing to die for us! Whenever you pray, you can rest assured that you belong to the God who has chosen you, receives your cry, and promises to work on your behalf. Do you have any favorite Bible passages that remind you what God is really like? How could being reminded of God’s characteristics—like His love, His justice, and His profound care for us—help us come to Him with our needs and longings?

Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (CSB) 

READ: COLOSSIANS 1:13-14, 21-22; 2:2-8, 16-23; 3:5-17; 4:2-6

We’re all faced with the temptation to try to look godly to those around us. We might go to church, volunteer to pray, pray before every meal, refuse to use certain words, and the list could go on. But does a list of actions truly reflect how close we are to God?

Fairly early on in Christianity, a trend toward something called asceticism arose. Asceticism is the belief that the strict discipline of bodily pleasures is key to growing closer to God: the more you resist earthly comforts or pleasures, the more holy you are considered to be.

During the 400s AD, an ascetic monk by the name of Simeon Stylites believed in asceticism so strongly that he climbed on top of an old pillar and chose to live on its square surface, which would’ve been about a meter wide, for almost forty years. People flocked to ask for his advice or just to see the spectacle. Simeon Stylites kept moving to pillars that were taller and taller, and by the end of his life, the pillar he was living on was fifty feet high! Simeon believed the further he removed himself from the physical comforts of this earth, the closer he would be to God.

According to the book of Colossians, Paul actually teaches the opposite. When referring to ascetic practices, Paul says they “have an appearance of wisdom” but are in fact worthless (Colossians 2:23). Following God isn’t about making ourselves look godly on the outside—it’s about relying on Jesus. He is the only one who can save us and help us grow in relationship with God.

As we rest in Jesus and His work on the cross, we remember that we belong to Him and nothing can take us out of His hands (John 10:27-30). That living on top of a pillar won’t make God love us any more or any less (Matthew 11:28; Ephesians 2:8-10). And that Jesus has already done everything needed to bring us close to God (Colossians 1:13-14, 21-22). • Jonathon Fuller

• Can you think of anything you might do because you believe it will make Jesus love you more?

• Read Romans 8:38-39. In Christ, can anything separate you from God’s love or thwart His promises to save you? (For more about the good news of Jesus, see our "Know Jesus" page.)

Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Colossians 2:23 (NIV)