January Devotions: Choosing the Lord Because He’s Good
Photo by Eldar Nazarov
MONDAY
Choose the Lord by Trusting His Word
I can never forget the profound revelations you’ve taught me,
for they have kept me alive more than once. (Ps. 119:93 TPT)
I will never lay aside your laws, for you have used them to restore my joy and health. (Ps. 119:93 TLB)
The voice of God is a precious, wondrous thing that’s worth more than we know. When He speaks, He gives us life. His voice is our bread—what keeps us alive (see Matt. 4:4). We need Him, and then we need Him more. He restores us with His words, and we can always trust what He says. Every time.
Today’s journaling question: Think of a verse or passage of Scripture that means a lot to you. Write it down, and ask the Lord to tell you what He’s saying to you through the verse. Pay attention to what comes to mind while you’re being still and listening to His Spirit.
May your Monday be blessed, and may you experience the Lord’s love in everything you do.
For further reading: “What Is God Saying to Your Heart?”
TUESDAY
Choose the Lord by Trusting His Leading
As a herder leads his cattle to find rest in a fertile valley,
the Spirit of Yahweh led them into rest.
In the same way, you led your people
to win for yourself a glorious name! (Isa. 63:14 TPT)
The leading of the Lord is no accident. He leads on purpose. He loves to lead us—that’s who He is. When we feel cut off from His leading, we’re listening to fear and shame. We need to take those thoughts captive and purposefully turn our attention back to His truth: that we’re the children of His heart, and He is our Father who loves us. He is fighting for us, and we can trust His leading.
Today’s journaling question: Is it easy for you to trust that God is guiding you? Why or why not? Ask the Lord about Isaiah 63:14 and what it means specifically for you and your situation. Pay attention to what comes to mind while you’re being still and listening to His Spirit.
May your Tuesday be blessed, and may you come to realize God’s heart for you in a new way.
For Further Reading: “The Lord Is Tenderly Leading You”
WEDNESDAY
Choose the Lord by Trusting Him in Times of Doubt
When you go to war against your enemies and see horses and chariots and an army greater than yours, do not be afraid of them, because the Lord your God, who brought you up out of Egypt, will be with you. (Deut. 20:1 NIV)
All of us go through seasons of fear and doubt, when trusting the Lord is difficult. We might wonder if we’ve made the right choice or if God is going to do what we thought He said.
The next time you’re wrestling with fear or doubt, remember Deuteronomy 20:1. Don’t be afraid of what you see happening in the natural. Your God is bigger than what the world is saying, and He is with you. You can trust Him with all your heart.
Today’s journaling question: Where has God asked you to trust Him? What opposes you? Ask the Lord about Deuteronomy 20:1 and what it means specifically for you and your situation. Listen to His Spirit, and write down what you think He might be saying.
May your Wednesday be blessed, and may you come to see Jesus more and more clearly.
For Further Reading: “Resting in God in Times of War”
THURSDAY
Choose the Lord by Taking Risks with Him
And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding. (Dan. 2:21 NKJV)
The Lord knows your times and seasons, when you should stay and when you should go. As things change and shift, you can trust Him in the process. Don’t be afraid to take a risk with the Lord—to do something you’ve never done before.
If you need courage today, ask God to fill you with the divine boldness He gave to Noah in the Old Testament. Noah took a risk with God in a time when the entire world opposed the Lord. We know who Noah is because he chose to trust the Lord boldly.
Today’s journaling question: Is the Lord asking you to take a risk with Him? What is that risk? Ask the Lord about Daniel 2:21 and what it means specifically for you and your situation. What is He saying to your heart?
May your Thursday be blessed, and may your heart rejoice in “new things” with God!
For Further Reading: “Do You Need to Step Out of Your Dating Comfort Zone?”
FRIDAY
Choose the Lord by Trusting Him When You Don’t Know What to Do
Your own ears will hear him.
Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
whether to the right or to the left. (Isa. 30:21 NLT)
I pondered the direction of my life,
and I turned to follow your laws. (Ps. 119:59 NLT)
The last twelve months have been incredibly difficult for many people. A lot of us are struggling to answer questions. Questions about leadership. Questions about fear. Questions about the future.
But Isaiah 30:12 and Psalm 119:59 remain true—with your own ears, you will hear Him. He will reveal Himself to you and show you where to go. His laws—His voice, His truth, what He’s saying, how He made the world to function—are the only reasonable course of action.
Today’s journaling question: Do you feel confused about something? Pick one section of Psalm 119, and read it slowly. Ask the Lord to give you a verse from that extensive psalm that will help clear up the confusion. Pay attention with your spirit, expect the Lord to speak, and write the verse down when He shows it to you.
May your Friday be blessed, and may your confidence in the Lord rise up strong.
For Further Reading: “Where Is God When Things Go Horribly Wrong?”
SATURDAY
Choose the Lord by Trusting Him When You’re Afraid
But in the day that I’m afraid, I lay all my fears before you
and trust in you with all my heart. (Ps. 56:3 TPT)
When I am afraid,
I will put my trust in You. (Ps. 56:3 NASB)
When we’re afraid, Psalm 56:3 tells us exactly what to do. We look away from our fears. We take hold of our attention and purposefully turn it to God.
Fear doesn’t tell us the truth, so we don’t have to listen to its voice. The voice of God is good for us, for so many reasons, and we get to trust Him with all our hearts.
Today’s journaling question: What are you afraid of? Do you understand how much the Lord longs to take away that fear? Ask Him about Psalm 56:3 and how it applies to you, and write down what He says.
May your Saturday be blessed, and may you know the Lord’s peace at a deep level.
For Further Reading: “Why You Don’t Need to Be Afraid”
SUNDAY
Choose the Lord by Thanking Him for What He’s Given You
But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! (1 Chron. 29:14 NLT)
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
apart from you I have no good thing.” (Ps. 16:2 NIV)
Everything you have, all the things you’re proud of, the things you enjoy in your life, all the good things—these things come from God. You have nothing good in your possession that did not come from Him. That’s how deeply He’s involved in your life.
Consider that idea today—that you have nothing good except what your heavenly Father has purposefully placed in your hands. What does that idea do to your heart?
Today’s journaling question: According to Psalm 16:2, you have nothing good except what God has given you. Those things are gifts from His hand. Ask the Lord about Psalm 16:2, and ask Him to reveal what it means for you.
May your Sunday be blessed, and may your heart OVERFLOW with hope and thankfulness.
For Further Reading: “Experiencing the Wild Love of God”
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