14-Day Devotional

C H R I S T I N E C A I N E

DAY1 You grow when you

fix your eyes on

Jesus.

In this fallen world, so many things are vying for our attention and

affection, seeking to distract us from what is most important.

Whether it’s a financial setback, a crisis in a relationship, a problem

at work — life will happen. And the unexpected moments can be

difficult to handle. The question is: How will you respond to them?

Here’s the truth I’m praying comes alive in your heart today: When

you fix your eyes on Jesus, when you set the attention and affection

of your heart on HIM, that’s what will release His power and peace in

you through every situation and season life brings.

… fixing our eyes on Jesus,

the pioneer and perfecter of faith

(Hebrews 12:2).

ReflectWhat is something that’s been distracting you lately?

Now take a moment and give it to God in prayer.

Ask Him to show you where He is right now in the situation. Fix your eyes on Him and receive His peace.

DAY2As Christians, we know the enemy will attempt to discourage us

with whispered lies and constant opposition in our lives. Perhaps

you’re experiencing this today and you’re feeling worn down, close

to giving up.

I know that feeling, and I want to encourage you that God is with

you and He is fighting for you. Even if you feel hopeless, God’s

unlimited power means He can. And His promises mean He will.

It’s what Jesus died for — so that when battles in our lives arise,

we don’t have to fight for victory. We can fight from victory — HIS

victory!

“… no weapon that is fashioned against you shall

succeed …” (Isaiah 54:17, ESV).

You know you’ve grown

when you know no weapon formed

against you shall prosper.

ReflectIs there a situation in your life in which you need

to remember Christ’s victory for you today?

What is God speaking to you?

DAY3Knowing our identity in Christ and believing it are two of the most

powerful things we can do as followers of Jesus. Because if we don’t

know who we are, we’ll be more easily swayed by the thoughts and

opinions of others. We’ll find ourselves standing on shifting sand

when, in reality, we have the opportunity to stand on the rock of

God’s truth.

I want to encourage you to make the decision today to stand on the

truth of who God says you are.

Don’t let other people dictate your words or actions. You’re a

child of God. You’ve been redeemed. You’ve been set free. You’ve

been forgiven. You’ve been approved. And when you walk in

the confidence of your identity in Christ — that’s what’s going to

empower you to impact the world around you in awesome ways.

Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult

you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing

(1 Peter 3:9, NLT).

You grow when you respond

to the insecurities of others from a secure place

in Christ.

ReflectWhat truths about your identity in Christ do

you need to remember today?

Now write them down. Find Scriptures to meditate on. Then declare them out loud over yourself.

There is power in your words and in knowing who you are in Christ!

DAY4I’ve noticed that all too often we allow ourselves to be discouraged

and our joy stolen by the bad things that happen to us.

Now, I’m not saying you should compartmentalize your pain and never

feel sad. But we weren’t created to stay there. Jesus died to help us in

our pain and heal us in our brokenness. And when the stone rolled away

from the tomb and He rose again, so also did you.

The enemy would love for you to stay in a tomb of guilt, a tomb of

bitterness, a tomb of fear and doubt. But here’s what I believe Jesus is

saying to you today: “I came to roll away that stone so you can move

into the fullness of all that I have for you. You can receive My grace.

You can receive My love. You can receive My mercy. You can receive

My forgiveness. And you can receive My joy!”

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you,

and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11, ESV).

ReflectIs there a stone that needs to be rolled away in

your life so you can live in joy today?

What is it? What is God speaking to you?

You know you’ve

grown when you no

longer allow people to steal your

joy.

DAY5There is so much we can learn in the story of Israel’s wandering in the

wilderness. Understandably, they didn’t like where they were. They wanted the

Promised Land. But instead of reminding themselves of what God had done

for them in their past, instead of declaring God’s promises for their future, time

and time again they vented their personal feelings and complained to Moses.

Instead of realizing that where they were wasn’t the destination, they allowed

their difficulty and discouragement to direct their words and actions.

The reality is, we’ll all reach that place — in the wilderness, wanting something

more than where we are. But I want to encourage you today to remember

God’s promises for you and use your words to bring life.

We need Jesus. We need His Word. And we need to remember that even when

we don’t see it or feel it, He is working all things together for our good!

Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible

and keep your mouth shut

(Proverbs 10:19, NLT).

ReflectIs there a situation in your life you’ve been venting

about more than you’ve been declaring God’s Word over?

What is God showing you?

You know you’ve grown

when you speak God’s words more often than

you vent your personal feelings.

DAY6 You know you’ve grown

when you believe that

you were created on

purpose, for a purpose.

Have you ever felt like you’re not enough? Or has it been the

opposite and you’ve been putting unrealistic demands on

yourself?

God wants you to enjoy your life. He doesn’t want you to feel

pressured by what others think you should or shouldn’t do.

He doesn’t want you to be hard on yourself.

The truth is, you were created on purpose, for a purpose.

Ephesians 2:10 says you are God’s workmanship. He created

you for a relationship with Him and to carry His love, grace,

and hope to the world around you!

For we are God’s

handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good

works, which God prepared in advance for

us to do(Ephesians 2:10).

ReflectWhat is something that’s been distracting you lately?

Now take a moment and give it to God in prayer.

Ask Him to show you where He is right now in the situation. Fix your eyes on Him and receive His peace.

DAY7 You know you’ve

grown when you are

happy to stay in your lane and can bless others running in their lane.

It’s so important not to let comparison limit your life.

• You don’t need to be threatened by the achievements of others. • You don’t need to be insecure about other people’s strengths or your weaknesses. • Nobody can steal your destiny, and nobody can do what you were uniquely purposed by God to do.

Only YOU can run your race. Only YOU can finish your course. And just like

every part of our human bodies plays an essential role, so also does each

part of the body of Christ, of which you and I are part.

As you embrace your place, as you stay committed to your lane,

encouraging others in theirs — that’s what’s going to give God the

opportunity to move through you!

If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole

body were an ear, how would you

smell anything? But our bodies

have many parts, and God has put

each part just where he wants it

(1 Corinthians 12:17–18, NLT).

ReflectWhat has God called you to do?

What are the dreams He’s placed in your heart?

In what ways has He uniquely gifted you?

DAY8Our greatest needs are those of significance, security, and unconditional

love, and we will often do almost anything to have these needs met.

We’ll put our kids in the “right” schools, try to have the “right” body, be in the

“right” crowd, listen to the “right” music, say the “right” words, do the “right”

things. Why? To be validated by others. To be accepted. Approved.

In essence, many of us are walking around wearing a mask that merely

mirrors what everyone else thinks of us, when, on the inside, we’re crumbling

and dying, desperate to be accepted for who we really are.

We compromise who we are to be who we think others want us to be.

But I want you to know today that you don’t need to perform to be

accepted by God. He already loves you because He created you! He has a

great plan for your life, and when you choose to build your life on His truth,

you will discover the freedom of becoming all you are destined to be and

doing all you are destined to do.

. . . to the praise of the glory

of His grace, by which

He made us accepted in the Beloved

(Ephesians 1:6, NKJV).

ReflectIn what area do you need to receive

God’s acceptance today?

How is knowing this truth going to affect the way you live?

You know you’ve grown

when you accept

you’ve been accepted by

God.

DAY9You grow when you

recall God’s promise in

the pain.

It’s one of the difficult realities of life to accept: We’re all going to

experience pain.

Because of this, the question isn’t how we can avoid pain, but how

we process it. And this is why fortifying our faith is so important. So

that when the attacks of the enemy come, when the unexpected

moments of life hit and we get hurt, discouraged, and hopeless,

we’ll remember who we are and Whose we are.

We’ll remember that in every situation and circumstance, God is with

us. We’ll remember His promises in the midst of the pain and that in

Him, we have not only the strength to stand and persevere, but the

peace to rest and enjoy His goodness and grace for each day.

Let us hold tightly without

wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep

his promise

(Hebrews 10:23, NLT).

ReflectAre you experiencing pain today?

What promises do you need to remember and declare over yourself in faith?

What is God speaking to you?

DAY10You know

you’ve grown when your private life

matches your public image.

Spending time with God is an essential aspect of our lives

as believers in Christ. But it’s important to realize that, while

quantity is important, so also is quality.

It’s not enough just to “hang out” with God sometimes,

though that can be good and life-giving. We need to spend

intentional, intimate time with God, and here’s why: It’s what

happens in the private moments of our lives that most affects

how we live in public.

When we spend intimate time with God — in worship, in

prayer, and reading His Word — that’s what will allow Him

to supernaturally change us and develop the potential He’s

planted within us.

“But when you pray, go into your room,

close the door and pray to your Father,

who is unseen. Then your

Father, who sees what is

done in secret, will reward you”

(Matthew 6:6).

ReflectDoes your private life match your public image?

What is the Holy Spirit speaking to you about this?

You know you’ve grown

when you recognize that

even if you didn’t choose it, God can use it.

I am living proof that God can take the worst things that have

happened to you and work them together for your good.

Trust me, He can do it. It might not feel like it, but I want you

to know He can. God sent His Son to this earth to die for you.

He loves you. He cares about you. There’s nothing He can’t

do. And because the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the

dead lives in you, then you can do all things through HIM who

strengthens you.

I’m praying He gives you a greater revelation of His love for

you and His miraculous power in your life today.

“You intended to harm me,

but God intended it for

good to accomplish what is now being done,

the saving of many lives”

(Genesis 50:20).

ReflectIn what situation of your life do you need to believe

and receive God’s restorative power today?

DAY11

You grow when you prioritize

God’s purpose

over your preferences.

Throughout Scripture, we find this promise: God blesses those

who are obedient to His Word.

So, no matter what the last thing God asked you to do was, I

want to encourage you to do it. Remember, obedience to His

Word isn’t legalism, so don’t let the silence of others, their loud

voices, or even your own reasoning sway you. God loves you.

He wants what’s best for you. And He’s passionate for you to

walk in His very best for your life.

As you live your life in obedience and commitment to Him,

you’re going to experience Him in awesome ways!

Walk in obedience to all that the

LORD your God has commanded you, so that you

may live and prosper and

prolong your days in the land that you will possess

(Deuteronomy 5:33).

ReflectWhat was the last thing God asked you to do?

Did you do it? If not, why?

How has He blessed and honored your obedience to Him in the past?

DAY12

You grow when

you face your fears instead of

fleeing from them.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and

of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV). I love this Scripture because,

through it, we find that God knows fear will not get us through

danger. Love does, a sound mind will, and courage can.

Courage, after all, is not the absence of fear. It’s the will to persevere

even in the face of fear.

This is why God tells us again and again in the Bible, “Fear not.” Three

hundred and fifty times He tells us. Fear not. Fear not. Fear not.

God’s power resides in us through the Holy Spirit. And when we give

the Holy Spirit room to speak and move in our lives, we’ll become

confident in the love of God which casts out fear (see 1 John 4:18)!

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or

terrified because of them, for the LORD

your God goes with you; he will

never leave you nor forsake you”(Deuteronomy 31:6).

ReflectWhat fear is God asking you to face

in His power and grace today?

DAY13

You know you’ve

grown when you believe nothing is impossible

for God.

I want to encourage you to never see a difficulty in light of your

own resources. The truth is, you serve a limitless God! And time

and time again, He has proven His words to be true — that

what we as humans cannot do, He can. And He does.

Let these declarations encourage you today:

• There is no problem too hard for God to solve.

• There is no person too bound for God to save.

• There is no mountain too big for God to move.

• There is no disease too debilitating for God to heal.

• There is no relationship too broken for God to restore.

• There is no need too great for God to meet.

But Jesus looked at them and said,

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are

possible” (Matthew 19:26, ESV).

ReflectIn what circumstance do you need to believe and receive God’s limitless power in your life today?

What is He speaking to you?

DAY14DAY14

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