DAY 1

Heavenly Rewards

Our culture often tells us that we deserve comfort, luxury, and whatever makes us feel good right now. It can be an appealing message, but it can also pull our attention away from the goodness of God. When immediate satisfaction becomes what we’re after, it’s easy to get caught up in temporary things instead of keeping our eyes on what is still to come.

The truth is, God is good and He wants good things for His children. He promises rewards to those who are faithful, and we can trust that He will keep those promises. But not every promise is fulfilled during our time here on earth. The things we enjoy here are temporary and can easily change. What God has waiting for us in eternity will last.

Living with eternity in mind requires patience and endurance. When we’re tempted to choose temporary satisfaction, we can remember that what God has promised is greater than what we could ask for or imagine. Even the difficult seasons of life can produce something in us as we continue to follow Him faithfully.

Sometimes, though, it can be difficult to find encouragement in something that still feels far away. When that happens, look at what God has already done. Pay attention to the good things He has already placed in your life. Every good gift comes from Him. Remembering His faithfulness in the past gives us confidence that He will continue to be faithful all the way to the end.

Today, ask God to give you a thankful heart for what He has already done and for everything He has promised that is still to come.

James 5:7

“Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains.”

DAY 2

Sunshine and Storm

It’s easy to be happy when life is going well. But what about when things get harder, bad news comes, or we find ourselves in a difficult season? Going through hard things doesn’t mean that God is absent. If our faith is going to endure, we have to remember that difficulty doesn’t mean we are unstable or unloved by God.

God has made every day, both the good ones and the difficult ones. Happiness can change depending on what’s happening around us, but true joy comes from depending on God even when life is hard. When we learn to praise Him regardless of our circumstances, we can experience a joy that isn’t easily taken away.

We don’t know what the future will look like, but we do know that our eternity with God is secure. The more we focus on His faithfulness and trust that He will keep His promises, the more we can find joy no matter what is happening around us. Keeping eternity in mind helps us see our circumstances differently and reminds us that God is near in both the sunshine and the storms.

So how do we learn to trust God no matter what our circumstances look like? We can practice gratitude and pay attention to the ways He has been faithful in our lives. We can spend time getting to know who God is so that when difficult seasons come, we know He is still good. And we can choose to praise Him even when we don’t feel like it. Our faith doesn’t have to be controlled by our emotions or circumstances. Whether we are experiencing sunshine or storms, God remains faithful and worthy of our praise.

Ecclesiastes 7:14

“When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider this:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, no one can discover
anything about their future.”

DAY 3

Swept Into Him

Most homes have a junk drawer. Maybe for you it’s a closet, a room, or even part of the garage where random things seem to collect. No matter where it is, eventually you run out of space. Everything you bring in has to go somewhere, and at some point, something has to go.

Our hearts and minds can work the same way. Everything we allow in takes up space. Our memories, emotions, experiences, and the things we see and hear can stay with us whether we realize it or not. One of the beautiful things about a relationship with Jesus is what happens as we allow His Spirit to take up more space in our lives. His peace begins to push out anxiety. His patience replaces our short tempers. His joy makes less room for conflict. He can even begin clearing out things we wish we had never allowed in to begin with.

As we surrender more of ourselves to God, we are drawn closer to Him. The more time we spend in His presence, the more we begin to become like Him. Our hearts begin to line up with His, and we discover what it means to be completely known and still completely loved. We don’t have to keep holding onto all the junk when God has something better for us.

Whatever has been taking up space in your heart, God offers freedom and redemption. And you don’t have to clean everything up before coming to Him. Allow God to show you what needs to stay and what needs to go. We might be embarrassed for someone to see the junk drawer in our house, but we never have to be ashamed to let God see what’s inside us. No matter how messy things have become, He can gently and lovingly work through it with us. We can trust Him to continue the work He has already started.

Philippians 1:6

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

DAY 4

Your Treasure

Have you ever watched a child spend a long time building a sandcastle at the beach? They can work so hard on every part of it without realizing that eventually the tide is going to come in and wash it away. All that time and effort can disappear in a matter of minutes.

Scripture reminds us that some things in this life are temporary. Not everything we spend our time building will last forever. That doesn’t mean those things have no value, but it does mean we should pay attention to what is eternal and what isn’t. Our time and energy matter, and God invites us to invest them in things that will last.

Thinking about eternal rewards isn’t meant to make us feel guilty or like we’re constantly falling short. God isn’t standing over us waiting to point out every wasted moment. He is a loving Father who wants us to experience the kind of purpose and satisfaction that can only be found in His Kingdom.

When God leads the way we invest our lives, we begin to see what really matters. We can give our time to people, to sharing the Gospel, and to the work God is doing in the world. These are the kinds of things that carry eternal value and won’t simply fade away.

And we don’t have to figure all of this out on our own. God is faithful to show us what matters most. As we seek Him and follow the Spirit, He gives us wisdom for how to use our time, emotions, and resources. We can trust Him to guide us toward what lasts and away from what doesn’t.

As you follow Him, trust that He will lead you well and help you invest your life in what has eternal value.

Matthew 6:19–20

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”

DAY 5

As They Are

It’s easy to see the ways other people could change for the better. Maybe someone talks too much about themselves, can’t keep a secret, or has a habit that gets under your skin. When we focus on those things long enough, what started as simply noticing someone’s flaws can quickly turn into judging them.

Scripture tells us to accept one another in the same way Jesus has accepted us. He knows that we are broken, imperfect, and sinful, yet He loves us as we are. We don’t have to meet a list of requirements before He will accept us. Because we have received that kind of grace, we have the opportunity to extend it to the people around us.

Of course, we all have areas where we need to grow. But our acceptance in Jesus isn’t based on how much we improve or how well we perform. Nothing we accomplish can give us what Jesus has already made possible through His work on the cross. Remembering that should change the way we see other people. Instead of looking at them through judgment, we can choose to see them through the same grace we have received.

That can be difficult when someone’s behavior really bothers us. It’s one thing to show grace to someone we like. It can be much harder with the person who gossips, the rude stranger, someone struggling with addiction, or even someone whose opinions make us angry. We all have people we find difficult to accept.

But that’s what makes grace so powerful. God’s grace isn’t reserved for people who have everything together. There is no sin beyond His ability to redeem. We may not be able to extend that kind of grace in our own strength, but because of what Jesus has already done for us, we can learn to offer that same grace to others.

Romans 15:7

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

DAY 6

Under His Care

Sometimes you wake up and your mind is already full of worry. Before the day has even really started, you’re thinking about everything you need to do, where you need to be, and whether you’ll be able to get it all done. The questions start piling up, and it can be hard to face the day with any sense of peace.

Life can be full, and it’s easy to become overwhelmed by everything that needs our attention. But Jesus doesn’t want us to live consumed by worry and stress. Instead, He offers peace and stability when our thoughts are racing. As we begin to recognize the ways God is working in our lives, our worry can begin to turn into gratitude.

Remembering God’s faithfulness gives us strength. When we look back and see the ways He has already sustained us, it becomes easier to trust that He will continue to care for us. Every worry that enters our minds can be given to a loving and capable God who offers us a peace that goes beyond what we can understand.

Take some time today to notice what God has already done in your life. Are there blessings you’ve overlooked or started to take for granted? Every good thing comes from Him. The breath in your lungs, the light coming through your window, the food on your table, and so many other things we often don’t think about are reminders of His care. God’s provision goes much deeper than simply giving us the things we want.

If God has cared for you before, you can trust Him to care for you again. He sees you. He knows what you need, and your needs are never too much for Him. Rest in His ability to care for you and allow His peace to quiet the worries in your mind.

Matthew 6:26–27

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?”

DAY 7

Find Peace Here

When you picture chaos, what comes to mind? Maybe it’s impossible deadlines, too many commitments, long lists, and not enough hours in the day. Now think about peace. Most of us probably picture getting away somewhere, maybe a quiet bath, a vacation, or even a tropical island. Those things can be peaceful, but eventually they end. We can’t stay there forever.

Peace that depends on our circumstances won’t last because our circumstances are always changing. No matter how much control we think we have over life, eventually we realize that the one thing that doesn’t change is the love of God. If our peace depends on everything around us going well, we’ll struggle when life suddenly doesn’t go the way we expected.

When everything around us feels shaky, God’s peace gives us something steady to hold onto. Instead of always trying to escape to somewhere peaceful, we can invite God’s peace right into the middle of our chaos. The Holy Spirit can quiet us and Jesus can redirect our thoughts. God offers a peace that isn’t limited to a certain place or situation.

The more we learn to keep our minds focused on Him, the more we experience that peace. Our circumstances may not change, but our hearts can still be secure and at rest. As we trust Him and spend time in His presence, He can calm our anxious thoughts. Filling our hearts and minds with the truth of His Word also gives us something to return to when worry begins to take over.

God’s love for us doesn’t end, and He invites us to experience the peace that comes from trusting Him. If peace has been difficult for you lately, don’t turn this into another thing you have to get right. His invitation isn’t meant to bring guilt or condemnation. You can stop striving, trust Him, and allow your soul to rest in His care.

Isaiah 26:3

“You will keep in perfect peace
those whose minds are steadfast,
because they trust in you.”

This 7-day devotional was adapted from the “7 Days of Fasting & Prayer” reading plan available on YouVersion. View the original plan here.