Being different is a challenge today, but walking with God was never meant to be easy. - Aaron D'Anthony Brown

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Being different is a challenge today, but walking with God was never meant to be easy. - Aaron D'Anthony Brown
SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts: Your Daily Prayer: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/</a> Your Daily Bible Verse: <a href="https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/">https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/</a>

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.

Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:

☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It)
☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment
☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life
☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life
☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church
☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer
☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation
☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year

If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.

Are you a Christian looking for a daily devotional podcast to encourage, inspire, and convict you in your walk with Christ? 7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Daily Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life. Let's study the Bible together and through the experiences of other believers, learn how to apply the Word of God to our lives.
Here’s just some of what we cover in The Crosswalk Daily Devotional Podcast:
☕️ Why the Tongue Can't Be Tamed (And What to Do about It) ☕️ The Quickest Way to an Attitude Adjustment ☕️ Your Birthday: The Most and Least Important Day of Your Life ☕️ Noticing God's Blessings in the Hardest Moments of Life ☕️ One of the Sneakiest Lies Satan Is Telling the Church ☕️ How to Push Through the Weariness of Prayer ☕️ 3 Steps to Take When Facing Temptation ☕️ What to Remember during a Stressful Election Year
If you love what you're listening to on the podcast, be sure to check out our companion devotional at <a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/">https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/.</a>

7 days a week, The Crosswalk.com Devotional Podcast offers wisdom and insight for applying Biblical truths to the ups and downs of everyday life.

The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

The Crosswalk Devotional

Finding the Courage to Be Different

Coming back to God after pain, doubt, or distance can feel overwhelming, but Luke 15:21–24 reveals the heart of a Father who welcomes His children home with compassion, grace, and celebration. Even when suffering, illness, or disappointment shake our faith, God remains loving, present, and ready to restore what feels lost.

Highlights


Seasons of pain and unanswered prayers can cause believers to drift from God.


Feelings of doubt don’t define truth—God’s Word does.


Chronic suffering can deepen faith rather than destroy it.


God is not the author of pain but the author of redemption and hope.


The parable of the prodigal son reveals God’s eagerness to restore, not reject.


Confession leads to restoration, not punishment, in God’s kingdom.


No matter how far we wander, we are always welcomed home by our Heavenly Father.

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

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Full Transcript Below:

Coming Home to the Father
By Vivian Bricker

Bible Reading:
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:21-24).

Most of us have had times when we have strayed from God. Due to something bad happening in our lives, we just wanted to leave everything, including our faith. Since we know God is all-powerful, we become disheartened when He doesn’t bring us out of a troublesome time. 

I strayed from God when I was in the middle of being diagnosed with a now-known autoimmune disease. When I was still in the process of finding a diagnosis, I was scared of the worst-case scenario: an incurable disease. I constantly prayed to God and asked that I would not have to walk through the rest of my life with a chronic illness. 

During that time, I saw my faith begin to crumble. The excruciating pain I was experiencing made me question God, His goodness, and His presence in my life.

I saw other people around me, who were thriving and healthy, yet here I was, sitting in a hospital, waiting to undergo another imaging test. For months, I did not talk to God, and I blamed Him for my pain. I hit rock bottom in my mental health as I fell into the belief that God didn’t love me or care about me…. But I must remember that feelings are only feelings—they are not facts. By reading the Bible and relying on what I know rather than how I feel, I have been able to make headway in renewing my mind to know that God does indeed love and care about me—and He loves and cares about you, too.

While my disease hasn’t changed much from the time I was first diagnosed, my faith has changed tremendously from the days when I was doubting God. Going through that process has brought about much growth in my spiritual walk with the Lord. I no longer see God as the author behind my pain, but rather, as the author of beautiful endings. 

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Within the Parable of the Lost Son, we are met with this wonderful encounter: “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:21-24). 

The prodigal son had squandered his father’s wealth in wild living and left his family behind. However, when he had passed the point of no return, he fell before his father, confessed his sins, and told him he was not worthy to be his father’s son. The father chose to have his servants bring the best robe to his son, put a ring on his finger, sandals on his feet, and celebrate with a fattened calf. This would have been a surprise to the son, as he would have expected his father to send him away, yet his father richly adorns him and throws him a celebration. 

The father and the son in this parable are allegorical to our relationship with God the Father. We were lost, and now we are found. Even though we might not have left God and squandered our lives in wild living, we have all drifted away from Him at some point in our Christian walk. The beautiful reminder we have here is that if we ever drift away, we are always welcomed home in the arms of our Heavenly Father. Praise God for His kindness, mercy, and love!

Further Reading:

Jeremiah 31:3

Joel 2:12-15

1 Corinthians 1:9

Coming back to God after pain, doubt, or distance can feel overwhelming, but Luke 15:21&ndash;24 reveals the heart of a Father who welcomes His children home with compassion, grace, and celebration. Even when suffering, illness, or disappointment shake our faith, God remains loving, present, and ready to restore what feels lost.
Highlights
<ul data-start="358" data-end="873">
<li data-start="358" data-end="439">
Seasons of pain and unanswered prayers can cause believers to drift from God.
</li>
<li data-start="440" data-end="497">
Feelings of doubt don&rsquo;t define truth&mdash;God&rsquo;s Word does.
</li>
<li data-start="498" data-end="560">
Chronic suffering can deepen faith rather than destroy it.
</li>
<li data-start="561" data-end="633">
God is not the author of pain but the author of redemption and hope.
</li>
<li data-start="634" data-end="717">
The parable of the prodigal son reveals God&rsquo;s eagerness to restore, not reject.
</li>
<li data-start="718" data-end="788">
Confession leads to restoration, not punishment, in God&rsquo;s kingdom.
</li>
<li data-start="789" data-end="873">
No matter how far we wander, we are always welcomed home by our Heavenly Father.
</li>
</ul>
<hr>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Coming Home to the Father By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading: &ldquo;The son said to him, &lsquo;Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.&rsquo; But the father said to his servants, &lsquo;Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let&rsquo;s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.&rsquo; So they began to celebrate&rdquo; (Luke 15:21-24).
Most of us have had times when we have strayed from God. Due to something bad happening in our lives, we just wanted to leave everything, including our faith. Since we know God is all-powerful, we become disheartened when He doesn&rsquo;t bring us out of a troublesome time.&nbsp;
I strayed from God when I was in the middle of being diagnosed with a now-known autoimmune disease. When I was still in the process of finding a diagnosis, I was scared of the worst-case scenario: an incurable disease. I constantly prayed to God and asked that I would not have to walk through the rest of my life with a chronic illness.&nbsp;
During that time, I saw my faith begin to crumble. The excruciating pain I was experiencing made me question God, His goodness, and His presence in my life.
I saw other people around me, who were thriving and healthy, yet here I was, sitting in a hospital, waiting to undergo another imaging test. For months, I did not talk to God, and I blamed Him for my pain. I hit rock bottom in my mental health as I fell into the belief that God didn&rsquo;t love me or care about me&hellip;. But I must remember that feelings are only feelings&mdash;they are not facts. By reading the Bible and relying on what I know rather than how I feel, I have been able to make headway in renewing my mind to know that God does indeed love and care about me&mdash;and He loves and cares about you, too.
While my disease hasn&rsquo;t changed much from the time I was first diagnosed, my faith has changed tremendously from the days when I was doubting God. Going through that process has brought about much growth in my spiritual walk with the Lord. I no longer see God as the author behind my pain, but rather, as the author of beautiful endings.&nbsp;
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
Within the Parable of the Lost Son, we are met with this wonderful encounter: &ldquo;The son said to him, &lsquo;Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.&rsquo; But the father said to his servants, &lsquo;Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let&rsquo;s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.&rsquo; So they began to celebrate&rdquo; (Luke 15:21-24).&nbsp;
The prodigal son had squandered his father&rsquo;s wealth in wild living and left his family behind. However, when he had passed the point of no return, he fell before his father, confessed his sins, and told him he was not worthy to be his father&rsquo;s son. The father chose to have his servants bring the best robe to his son, put a ring on his finger, sandals on his feet, and celebrate with a fattened calf. This would have been a surprise to the son, as he would have expected his father to send him away, yet his father richly adorns him and throws him a celebration.&nbsp;
The father and the son in this parable are allegorical to our relationship with God the Father. We were lost, and now we are found. Even though we might not have left God and squandered our lives in wild living, we have all drifted away from Him at some point in our Christian walk. The beautiful reminder we have here is that if we ever drift away, we are always welcomed home in the arms of our Heavenly Father. Praise God for His kindness, mercy, and love!
Further Reading:
Jeremiah 31:3
Joel 2:12-15
1 Corinthians 1:9

Coming Home to the Father

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/04acbcc8-35b9-4f61-84b5-b3d20126c888/transcript

Condemnation can quietly weigh down even the most faithful believers, especially when perfectionism and performance replace grace. Romans 8:1 offers freeing truth: for those in Christ Jesus, condemnation no longer exists because Jesus already carried the full weight of sin and shame on the cross.

Highlights


Perfectionism often disguises itself as faith but leads to exhaustion and emptiness.


Guilt and shame push us away from God, while grace draws us closer.


Self-condemnation is a burden Jesus never intended believers to carry.


Romans 8:1 declares complete freedom from condemnation for those in Christ.


Jesus paid the full debt for sin—nothing more is required from us.


Our identity is found in Christ’s finished work, not our performance.


Grace is a gift to rest in, not something to strive to maintain.

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

Sign Up Today!

Full Transcript Below:

Carrying the Unnecessary Weight of Condemnation

By: Emily Rose Massey

Bible Reading:

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, ESV).  

For many years, I was driven by perfectionism and the feeling that I had to work successfully or perform well in life to be loved by other people… and to be loved by God. On the outside, I looked like I had it all together- high honors throughout school, hyper-involvement in extracurricular activities, serving in any ministry I was asked to be involved in, star of the high school plays and musicals, head cheerleader, first chair clarinet player in the band, and the list goes on and on. But on the inside, I was so empty and constantly searching for true fulfillment. I knew God was there for me, but somehow, I thought I could be perfect in my own strength on my walk with Him. 

Because we are human, we fail time and time again. We make a mess of things more often than not. Guilt and shame can often push us further away from God, instead of closer. For so long as a Christian, I was allowing self-condemnation to take root in my heart, and it weighed me down as I walked around carrying all of the baggage of my past sins and failures, thinking that I had to continue to strive to keep God’s forgiveness. Thankfully, today, I no longer live burdened by a work-based mentality. I find my identity in the finished work of Christ, and I want to encourage you, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, you should too. Grace is a gift that cannot be earned, and you do not have to strive to keep it either.

In Romans 8:1, the Bible tells us that we do not have to carry condemnation in our lives when we’re truly in Christ. If you are a born-again believer, condemnation does not exist because the punishment for our failures and sins does not exist. 

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1, ESV). 

This means that when we embrace and believe what Jesus did for us on the cross, as He took the punishment for our sin that we deserved, our lives are now hidden in Christ. When we come to God with a heart full of repentance, resting in this glorious, finished work of the cross, we can stand before the throne of God without any shame because Jesus bore all of it for us. The debt we owed has been paid in full- we are free from all bondage.

Intersecting Life & Faith:

Jesus took all of your sin and your shame upon Himself and cast it as far as the east is from the west, friend. Do you struggle with thoughts of shame from your past? Fix your eyes on the finished work of the cross. Christ bore the weight of your sin; you no longer have to live with the weight of your failures. You can come boldly to the throne of grace, beloved, because it is grace that did the work for you. You can rest assured that God sees you as blameless and perfect because you are in Christ. There is no reason to carry that heavy burden of condemnation upon your shoulders… surrender it to Christ today. Let’s pray that you learn to no longer walk around carrying the weight of your past and stop striving for perfection. Remember, Jesus is blameless and perfect for you… lean upon Him.

Condemnation can quietly weigh down even the most faithful believers, especially when perfectionism and performance replace grace. Romans 8:1 offers freeing truth: for those in Christ Jesus, condemnation no longer exists because Jesus already carried the full weight of sin and shame on the cross.
Highlights
<ul data-start="331" data-end="860">
<li data-start="331" data-end="419">
Perfectionism often disguises itself as faith but leads to exhaustion and emptiness.
</li>
<li data-start="420" data-end="491">
Guilt and shame push us away from God, while grace draws us closer.
</li>
<li data-start="492" data-end="566">
Self-condemnation is a burden Jesus never intended believers to carry.
</li>
<li data-start="567" data-end="646">
Romans 8:1 declares complete freedom from condemnation for those in Christ.
</li>
<li data-start="647" data-end="717">
Jesus paid the full debt for sin&mdash;nothing more is required from us.
</li>
<li data-start="718" data-end="791">
Our identity is found in Christ&rsquo;s finished work, not our performance.
</li>
<li data-start="792" data-end="860">
Grace is a gift to rest in, not something to strive to maintain.
</li>
</ul>
<hr>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
Carrying the Unnecessary Weight of Condemnation
By: Emily Rose Massey
Bible Reading:
&ldquo;There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus&rdquo; (Romans 8:1, ESV). &nbsp;
For many years, I was driven by perfectionism and the feeling that I had to work successfully or perform well in life to be loved by other people&hellip; and to be loved by God. On the outside, I looked like I had it all together- high honors throughout school, hyper-involvement in extracurricular activities, serving in any ministry I was asked to be involved in, star of the high school plays and musicals, head cheerleader, first chair clarinet player in the band, and the list goes on and on. But on the inside, I was so empty and constantly searching for true fulfillment. I knew God was there for me, but somehow, I thought I could be perfect in my own strength on my walk with Him.&nbsp;
Because we are human, we fail time and time again. We make a mess of things more often than not. Guilt and shame can often push us further away from God, instead of closer. For so long as a Christian, I was allowing self-condemnation to take root in my heart, and it weighed me down as I walked around carrying all of the baggage of my past sins and failures, thinking that I had to continue to strive to keep God&rsquo;s forgiveness. Thankfully, today, I no longer live burdened by a work-based mentality. I find my identity in the finished work of Christ, and I want to encourage you, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, you should too. Grace is a gift that cannot be earned, and you do not have to strive to keep it either.
In&nbsp;Romans 8:1, the&nbsp;Bible&nbsp;tells us that we do not have to carry condemnation in our lives when we&rsquo;re truly in Christ. If you are a born-again believer, condemnation does not exist because the punishment for our failures and sins does not exist.&nbsp;
&ldquo;There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus&rdquo; (Romans 8:1, ESV).&nbsp;
This means that when we embrace and believe what Jesus did for us on the cross, as He took the punishment for our sin that we deserved, our lives are now hidden in Christ. When we come to God with a heart full of repentance, resting in this glorious, finished work of the cross, we can stand before the throne of God without any shame because Jesus bore all of it for us. The debt we owed has been paid in full- we are free from all bondage.
Intersecting Life &amp; Faith:
Jesus took all of your sin and your shame upon Himself and cast it as far as the east is from the west, friend. Do you struggle with thoughts of shame from your past? Fix your eyes on the finished work of the cross. Christ bore the weight of your sin; you no longer have to live with the weight of your failures. You can come boldly to the throne of grace, beloved, because it is grace that did the work for you. You can rest assured that God sees you as blameless and perfect because you are in Christ. There is no reason to carry that heavy burden of condemnation upon your shoulders&hellip; surrender it to Christ today. Let&rsquo;s pray that you learn to no longer walk around carrying the weight of your past and stop striving for perfection. Remember, Jesus is blameless and perfect for you&hellip; lean upon Him.

Carrying the Unnecessary Weight of Condemnation

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/006959a0-13c3-452a-b5d5-b3d20126c2de/transcript

True revival doesn’t begin with better habits or stronger resolutions—it begins with humble repentance and a renewed pursuit of God. Drawing from 2 Chronicles 7:14, this devotional reminds us that healing, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal start when God’s people humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their sin.

Highlights


Revival is deeper than emotion; it begins with repentance.


God’s call to humility starts with us, not others.


Pointing out sin in the world without self-examination blocks spiritual growth.


Repentance is an intentional turning away from darkness and toward God.


Revival flows from obedience, not performance or perfection.


When God’s people respond with humility, He promises forgiveness and healing.


Personal surrender can ignite widespread spiritual renewal.

Do you want to listen ad-free?

When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! 

Sign Up Today!

Full Transcript Below:

We Don’t Need a Resolution… We Need Revival.


By Hannah Benson

 

Bible Reading:
“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” - 2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV

As we are in the midst of New Year’s resolutions, I want to challenge you with an alternative option: instead of simply making New Year’s resolutions, what if we prayed for revival?

Now don’t get me wrong.

There is nothing wrong with making New Year’s resolutions. There’s nothing wrong with saying “I want to do more of this” or “I want to do less of that”.

But more than making New Year’s resolutions, what if we prayed for revival?

We all need revival. We pray for it. We’ve seen it sweep across college campuses. We’ve studied the Great Awakenings in our history books, and now, we’re praying for it to happen again.

We have always needed God, and we’ll never stop needing Him.

But if we look around the shattered state of our country and our world, I think we can all agree we need Him now more than ever.

Revival isn’t based on feelings. We recognize our nation needs revival, yes. Our world needs it, yes. But revival doesn’t happen because we have an amazing pastor or top-notch worship leader. I think a lot of people hear stories of revival and want the feel-good emotions they think will come with it. 

But honestly, revival is messy.

Revival starts with us, and it starts with repentance.

So many people desire the revival, but they would prefer to ignore the call to repentance that precedes the revival.

Without repentance, there is no revival.

Sometimes, we may look at the people around us and think, “This person needs God. They need revival, and they need to change.”

Which is true. They absolutely need God, and maybe they do need to change.

We all do.

But look at what Jesus says in Matthew 7:3-5 (ESV): “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye?  You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”

This is a call of conviction. We are so quick to look at other people, at the rest of the world (and I’m not saying this world is not messy. It absolutely is).

But we all need Jesus.

Your kids’ nemesis at school who just won’t seem to leave them alone.
The politician who makes you so angry when he steps up to the podium.

The list could go on.

Me.

And you.

But revival starts with each one of us individually. If we want revival? We must repent.

What is the first thing God commands His children to do in 2 Chronicles 7:14?
Humble themselves.

Not their neighbor. Not the bully at school. Not the politician in the opposing party.

Themselves.
Next, they need to pray and seek the Lord’s face and turn from their wicked ways.

This is part of the repentance and is the decision to surrender the sin we cling to—the conscious turning away from the darkness that has crept into our hearts.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

If we do these things, then God promises: “I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV).

Don’t get me wrong.

Revival is not dependent on our good works. But we do need to be obedient to God’s call. If we keep pointing fingers and saying “They need to repent” while ignoring the log in our own eye, then we are no better than the hypocrites Jesus called out in the Bible.

That humble individual act of turning away from sin and seeking the Lord—that is what is going to fan the flame and spread genuine revival throughout the entire world.

Do we believe it? More importantly, do we live like it?

Pray with me:

Dear Father, we confess that we often desire the blessings of revival without repentance. We confess we are too quick to see the sins of others while ignoring the “log in our own eye.” Lord, make us humble. We lay down our self-righteousness today. Please help us to sincerely pray, seek Your face, and turn from our wicked ways. We ask You to forgive our sin and, starting with us, heal our land. In Jesus’s Name, Amen.

True revival doesn&rsquo;t begin with better habits or stronger resolutions&mdash;it begins with humble repentance and a renewed pursuit of God. Drawing from 2 Chronicles 7:14, this devotional reminds us that healing, forgiveness, and spiritual renewal start when God&rsquo;s people humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their sin.
Highlights
<ul data-start="363" data-end="853">
<li data-start="363" data-end="425">
Revival is deeper than emotion; it begins with repentance.
</li>
<li data-start="426" data-end="482">
God&rsquo;s call to humility starts with us, not others.
</li>
<li data-start="483" data-end="566">
Pointing out sin in the world without self-examination blocks spiritual growth.
</li>
<li data-start="567" data-end="642">
Repentance is an intentional turning away from darkness and toward God.
</li>
<li data-start="643" data-end="707">
Revival flows from obedience, not performance or perfection.
</li>
<li data-start="708" data-end="789">
When God&rsquo;s people respond with humility, He promises forgiveness and healing.
</li>
<li data-start="790" data-end="853">
Personal surrender can ignite widespread spiritual renewal.
</li>
</ul>
<hr>
Do you want to listen ad-free?
When you join&nbsp;Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors&mdash;resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts!&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.crosswalk.com/subscribe/?utm_source=subscribe_page&amp;utm_medium=YDBV&amp;utm_campaign=YDBV_PLUS">Sign Up Today!</a>
<hr>
Full Transcript Below:
We Don&rsquo;t Need a Resolution&hellip; We Need Revival.
 By Hannah Benson
&nbsp;
Bible Reading: &ldquo;If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.&rdquo; - 2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV
As we are in the midst of New Year&rsquo;s resolutions, I want to challenge you with an alternative option: instead of simply making New Year&rsquo;s resolutions, what if we prayed for revival?
Now don&rsquo;t get me wrong.
There is nothing wrong with making New Year&rsquo;s resolutions. There&rsquo;s nothing wrong with saying &ldquo;I want to do more of this&rdquo; or &ldquo;I want to do less of that&rdquo;.
But more than making New Year&rsquo;s resolutions, what if we prayed for revival?
We all need revival. We pray for it. We&rsquo;ve seen it sweep across college campuses. We&rsquo;ve studied the Great Awakenings in our history books, and now, we&rsquo;re praying for it to happen again.
We have always needed God, and we&rsquo;ll never stop needing Him.
But if we look around the shattered state of our country and our world, I think we can all agree we need Him now more than ever.
Revival isn&rsquo;t based on feelings. We recognize our nation needs revival, yes. Our world needs it, yes. But revival doesn&rsquo;t happen because we have an amazing pastor or top-notch worship leader. I think a lot of people hear stories of revival and want the feel-good emotions they think will come with it.&nbsp;
But honestly, revival is messy.
Revival starts with us, and it starts with repentance.
So many people desire the revival, but they would prefer to ignore the call to repentance that precedes the revival.
Without repentance, there is no revival.
Sometimes, we may look at the people around us and think, &ldquo;This person needs God. They need revival, and they need to change.&rdquo;
Which is true. They absolutely need God, and maybe they do need to change.
We all do.
But look at what Jesus says in Matthew 7:3-5 (ESV): &ldquo;Why do you see the speck that is in your brother&rsquo;s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?&nbsp;&nbsp;Or how can you say to your brother, &lsquo;Let me take the speck out of your eye,&rsquo; when there is the log in your own eye?&nbsp;&nbsp;You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother&rsquo;s eye.&rdquo;
This is a call of conviction. We are so quick to look at other people, at the rest of the world (and I&rsquo;m not saying this world is not messy. It&nbsp;absolutely&nbsp;is).
But we all need Jesus.
Your kids&rsquo; nemesis at school who just won&rsquo;t seem to leave them alone. The politician who makes you so angry when he steps up to the podium.
The list could go on.
Me.
And you.
But revival starts with each one of us&nbsp;individually.&nbsp;If we want revival? We must repent.
What is the first thing God commands His children to do in 2 Chronicles 7:14?
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">Humble themselves.</li>
</ol>
Not their neighbor. Not the bully at school. Not the politician in the opposing party.
Themselves.
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">Next, they need to pray and seek the Lord&rsquo;s face and turn from their wicked ways.</li>
</ol>
This is part of the repentance and is the decision to surrender the sin we cling to&mdash;the conscious turning away from the darkness that has crept into our hearts.
Intersecting Faith &amp; Life:
If we do these things, then God promises: &ldquo;I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land&rdquo; (2 Chronicles 7:14 ESV).
Don&rsquo;t get me wrong.
Revival is not dependent on our good works. But we do need to be obedient to God&rsquo;s call. If we keep pointing fingers and saying &ldquo;They&nbsp;need to repent&rdquo; while ignoring the log in our own eye, then we are no better than the hypocrites Jesus called out in the Bible.
That humble individual act of turning away from sin and seeking the Lord&mdash;that is what is going to fan the flame and spread genuine revival throughout the entire world.
Do we believe it? More importantly, do we live like it?
Pray with me:
Dear Father, we confess that we often desire the blessings of revival without repentance. We confess we are too quick to see&nbsp;the sins of others while ignoring the &ldquo;log in our own eye.&rdquo; Lord, make us humble. We lay down our self-righteousness today. Please help us to sincerely pray, seek Your face, and turn from our wicked ways. We ask You to forgive our sin and, starting with us, heal our land. In Jesus&rsquo;s Name, Amen.

We Don’t Need a Resolution: We Need Revival

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