DAY 3: A Savior Brings Life
If you were to talk with 1,000, even 10,000 complete strangers, you would almost certainly discover that each and every one of them have experienced hurt, pain, loss, grief, and other forms of heartache. This is because nobody escapes hurt and pain in this life. Nobody. And even though we may question why we all experience pain and loss, we must acknowledge that the Scriptures don’t teach that life will be without challenges.
But despite the challenges of life, the Scriptures do teach that we can experience a life filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Similarly, the Scriptures teach that we are no longer condemned to death, and that we can experience a new life in Christ.
While some of the pain and hurts we experience in life cannot be avoided, there are still decisions we can make in order to feel fully alive. Not my team just won an important game kind of feeling, but a feeling of real joy, peace, and contentment that comes from nothing else but God.
READING & JOURNALING:
ROMANS 8:1, 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
What is something you regularly do to feel fully alive?
Have you considered the possibility that you sometimes forfeit the right to experience love, joy, (or other things that make you feel fully alive) because you spend too much time numbing the pain in your life?
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I recognize that I sometimes do mindless activities in order to numb or disengage from the pain in my life. But I’m beginning to see this doesn’t lead joy, because when I escape the pain, I end up escaping from real joy as well. Today, reveal to me some of the ways I’m escaping life, and help me to replace these poor habits with behaviors that are more life giving. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
F260 READING: (A Scripture Reading Plan for Busy Believers)
The F260 is a Scripture Reading Plan designed to read through the foundational passages of the Bible in 260 Days (5 Days a week, 52 Weeks a year). It is a separate reading from the above devotional but is included for those who would like to engage with the Scriptures on a deeper level throughout the year.
Read: 1 Samuel 9 & 10
Journal: Write it out. Following the pattern from 7 Arrows Page (click here) what did you learn from today’s reading?
Note: Are you looking for a Study Bible to help you engage with the Scriptures at a deeper level? If so, click here for some recommendations.
Next Message Series: Beginning January 5
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