DAILY DEVOTIONAL
DAY 1
PREPARE YOUR HEART:
Start by focusing your mind on Jesus. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free from distraction. Take a few deep breaths and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to what He has for you today.
We live in a world where “hurry” is normal. We hurry to school, practice, church, hangouts with friends, get homework done… the list goes on. The truth is that hurry can hurt/hinder our relationship with Jesus.
What do you think is the greatest challenge in your relationship with Jesus? Hurry may not be the first thing that comes to mind.
Corrie ten Boom, a Christian writer, once said that if the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy. Both sin and busyness have the same effect – they cut off our connection to God, to other people, and even to ourselves. Sometimes, we’re too busy to have a healthy relationship with Jesus.
Not all busyness is bad! You can fill your life with things that matter, the same way Jesus was busy. It’s not bad to have a lot to do, but to have too much to do. Having too much to do can easily lead us into a life filled with hurry. This week, we’ll take a look at how to slow down and rest with Jesus.
READ:
Matthew 11:28-30
Matthew 9:18-26
REFLECT:
What are some areas of your life that feel hurried?
What would it look like for you to slow down today?
PRAY:
Finish your time by focusing back on Jesus. Spend a couple minutes talking with Him and asking Him to help you slow down this week.
Start by focusing your mind on Jesus. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free from distraction. Take a few deep breaths and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to what He has for you today.
We live in a world where “hurry” is normal. We hurry to school, practice, church, hangouts with friends, get homework done… the list goes on. The truth is that hurry can hurt/hinder our relationship with Jesus.
What do you think is the greatest challenge in your relationship with Jesus? Hurry may not be the first thing that comes to mind.
Corrie ten Boom, a Christian writer, once said that if the devil can’t make you sin, he’ll make you busy. Both sin and busyness have the same effect – they cut off our connection to God, to other people, and even to ourselves. Sometimes, we’re too busy to have a healthy relationship with Jesus.
Not all busyness is bad! You can fill your life with things that matter, the same way Jesus was busy. It’s not bad to have a lot to do, but to have too much to do. Having too much to do can easily lead us into a life filled with hurry. This week, we’ll take a look at how to slow down and rest with Jesus.
READ:
Matthew 11:28-30
Matthew 9:18-26
REFLECT:
What are some areas of your life that feel hurried?
What would it look like for you to slow down today?
PRAY:
Finish your time by focusing back on Jesus. Spend a couple minutes talking with Him and asking Him to help you slow down this week.
DAY 2
PREPARE YOUR HEART:
Start by focusing your mind on Jesus. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free from distraction. Take a few deep breaths and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to what He has for you today.
Jesus values love. The first and greatest commandment in the Bible is to “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength” and the second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself.”
It’s time consuming to love well, whether that’s loving your family, friends, or people you don’t know. Loving well takes some thought and intention that can’t be rushed. Love and hurry are like oil and water – they don’t mix. It can be difficult to love well when you’re in a hurry – when you may feel stressed, annoyed, or short-tempered.
Our “walk with God” is exactly that: a walk. We aren’t asked to run with God! We know that God is love and love exists without hurry.
READ:
John 13:34-35
1 Corinthians 13
James 1:19-22
REFLECT:
Can you think of a moment when you had a hard time being kind or loving because you were in a hurry?
What do you need to pause or stop doing in order to love well this week?
PRAY:
Finish your time by focusing back on Jesus. Spend a couple minutes talking with Him and thanking Him for wanting to walk with you and love you.
Start by focusing your mind on Jesus. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free from distraction. Take a few deep breaths and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to what He has for you today.
Jesus values love. The first and greatest commandment in the Bible is to “Love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, and strength” and the second greatest commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself.”
It’s time consuming to love well, whether that’s loving your family, friends, or people you don’t know. Loving well takes some thought and intention that can’t be rushed. Love and hurry are like oil and water – they don’t mix. It can be difficult to love well when you’re in a hurry – when you may feel stressed, annoyed, or short-tempered.
Our “walk with God” is exactly that: a walk. We aren’t asked to run with God! We know that God is love and love exists without hurry.
READ:
John 13:34-35
1 Corinthians 13
James 1:19-22
REFLECT:
Can you think of a moment when you had a hard time being kind or loving because you were in a hurry?
What do you need to pause or stop doing in order to love well this week?
PRAY:
Finish your time by focusing back on Jesus. Spend a couple minutes talking with Him and thanking Him for wanting to walk with you and love you.
DAY 3
PREPARE YOUR HEART:
Start by focusing your mind on Jesus. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free from distraction. Take a few deep breaths and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to what He has for you today.
The values of love, joy, and peace show up over and over again in the Bible. These three values are more than emotions, but they start to describe our lives when we have a relationship with Jesus. Just like it’s hard to love well when we’re in a hurry, it’s hard to have joy when we’re in a hurry.
The more present we are in a moment, and the more grateful we are for what is right in front of us, the more joy we are able to experience. Being present requires getting rid of hurry in our lives and slowing down to fully experience this moment – good, bad, confusing, exciting, boring, whatever it is.
When we slow down to be present and focus on what is happening in each moment, we are able to find more joy and look more like Jesus.
READ:
John 16:19-24
Philippians 4:4-9
REFLECT:
Write down as many things as you can that bring you joy.
What is one thing you can do today that brings you joy?
Text one person this week to let them know you are grateful for them.
Practice being present today: hang out with a friend and keep your phone away the whole time!
PRAY:
Finish your time by focusing back on Jesus. Spend a couple minutes talking with Him and thanking Him for all the things that bring you joy. Ask Him for help being present in each moment.
Start by focusing your mind on Jesus. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free from distraction. Take a few deep breaths and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to what He has for you today.
The values of love, joy, and peace show up over and over again in the Bible. These three values are more than emotions, but they start to describe our lives when we have a relationship with Jesus. Just like it’s hard to love well when we’re in a hurry, it’s hard to have joy when we’re in a hurry.
The more present we are in a moment, and the more grateful we are for what is right in front of us, the more joy we are able to experience. Being present requires getting rid of hurry in our lives and slowing down to fully experience this moment – good, bad, confusing, exciting, boring, whatever it is.
When we slow down to be present and focus on what is happening in each moment, we are able to find more joy and look more like Jesus.
READ:
John 16:19-24
Philippians 4:4-9
REFLECT:
Write down as many things as you can that bring you joy.
What is one thing you can do today that brings you joy?
Text one person this week to let them know you are grateful for them.
Practice being present today: hang out with a friend and keep your phone away the whole time!
PRAY:
Finish your time by focusing back on Jesus. Spend a couple minutes talking with Him and thanking Him for all the things that bring you joy. Ask Him for help being present in each moment.
DAY 4
PREPARE YOUR HEART:
Start by focusing your mind on Jesus. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free from distraction. Take a few deep breaths and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to what He has for you today.
We’ve talked about love and joy, now it’s time to talk about peace! Peace cannot exist with hurry.
You’ve probably experienced running late to something (school, the movies, a flight, etc) or trying to get a late assignment turned in. In these moments of hurry, there is usually not a lot of calm. It can be difficult to experience God’s peace until we slow down. Even with a lot going on in your schedule, it is still possible to find peace when we take little moments to pause and connect with God – even for just a minute!
In our culture, “slow” is typically used in a negative way. Slow service at a restaurant, slow WiFi, slow plot in a movie or TV show… you get the point. Our society tells us that slow is bad and fast is good. But, we know that in Jesus’ kingdom, slowing down is how we look more like Him and truly take on love, joy, and peace.
READ:
John 14:27
Colossians 3:15-17
REFLECT & PRAY:
Choose a time today to take a few minutes to just be. Do nothing and be silent before God. If anything comes to mind during that time, tell God about it. Ask Him for the peace that only He can give.
Start by focusing your mind on Jesus. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free from distraction. Take a few deep breaths and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to what He has for you today.
We’ve talked about love and joy, now it’s time to talk about peace! Peace cannot exist with hurry.
You’ve probably experienced running late to something (school, the movies, a flight, etc) or trying to get a late assignment turned in. In these moments of hurry, there is usually not a lot of calm. It can be difficult to experience God’s peace until we slow down. Even with a lot going on in your schedule, it is still possible to find peace when we take little moments to pause and connect with God – even for just a minute!
In our culture, “slow” is typically used in a negative way. Slow service at a restaurant, slow WiFi, slow plot in a movie or TV show… you get the point. Our society tells us that slow is bad and fast is good. But, we know that in Jesus’ kingdom, slowing down is how we look more like Him and truly take on love, joy, and peace.
READ:
John 14:27
Colossians 3:15-17
REFLECT & PRAY:
Choose a time today to take a few minutes to just be. Do nothing and be silent before God. If anything comes to mind during that time, tell God about it. Ask Him for the peace that only He can give.
DAY 5
PREPARE YOUR HEART:
Start by focusing your mind on Jesus. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free from distraction. Take a few deep breaths and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to what He has for you today.
Jesus regularly invited people to follow him. Sometimes, His invitation sounded like, “Come to me and I will give you rest. My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” A yoke is a tool for work that was used to harness oxen together to plow a field. At first, a yoke sounds like the last thing we may want to take on – more work in the midst of the busyness? No, thanks! But, what Jesus is offering is an understanding that life has its burdens and responsibilities that we can’t escape from. Instead of taking those things away, Jesus helps us carry the weight with ease and joy. Jesus’ invitation to rest is not just for physical rest, but rest for our souls as well.
We learned at Life Group that it’s important to pick a day to Sabbath every week – a day to slow down, rest, and enjoy God’s presence and creation. There are also little Sabbath moments all throughout each day. Look for the opportunities to slow down and rest each day.
READ:
Matthew 11:28-30
Hebrews 4:1-11
REFLECT:
Look for a Sabbath moment today and take the opportunity to slow down and rest. The moment might be during lunch, when you first wake up or right before you go to bed, or before practice or school starts. Try not to reach for your phone, but talk to God instead. The Sabbath moment can even be right now!
PRAY:
Finish your time by focusing back on Jesus. Spend a couple minutes talking with Him and thanking Him for carrying your burdens with you.
Start by focusing your mind on Jesus. Find a quiet, comfortable place where you can be free from distraction. Take a few deep breaths and ask Jesus to open your mind and heart to what He has for you today.
Jesus regularly invited people to follow him. Sometimes, His invitation sounded like, “Come to me and I will give you rest. My yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” A yoke is a tool for work that was used to harness oxen together to plow a field. At first, a yoke sounds like the last thing we may want to take on – more work in the midst of the busyness? No, thanks! But, what Jesus is offering is an understanding that life has its burdens and responsibilities that we can’t escape from. Instead of taking those things away, Jesus helps us carry the weight with ease and joy. Jesus’ invitation to rest is not just for physical rest, but rest for our souls as well.
We learned at Life Group that it’s important to pick a day to Sabbath every week – a day to slow down, rest, and enjoy God’s presence and creation. There are also little Sabbath moments all throughout each day. Look for the opportunities to slow down and rest each day.
READ:
Matthew 11:28-30
Hebrews 4:1-11
REFLECT:
Look for a Sabbath moment today and take the opportunity to slow down and rest. The moment might be during lunch, when you first wake up or right before you go to bed, or before practice or school starts. Try not to reach for your phone, but talk to God instead. The Sabbath moment can even be right now!
PRAY:
Finish your time by focusing back on Jesus. Spend a couple minutes talking with Him and thanking Him for carrying your burdens with you.