Wednesday, November 26, 2025

New Testament Reading Plan: Luke 3

Life hits hard sometimes.

For me, it began when I was seven, and after days of crying, someone offered a book to help me cope. The words delivered a new perspective at such a young age. As the years went by, I found different ways to deal with or avoid problems when things didn’t go the way I had hoped. To cope, I spent my time in sports, with friends, and in isolation, and it helped in the moment.

The problem was that those moments were too small to handle the realness of life. Eventually, I learned that true help always came when I used written words to put my mind at ease, and the best of those were the Bible or other books that connected Scripture to everyday life.

Diving into Scripture didn’t magically erase everything old and negative, but because of my faith, I finally began to understand that I’m still living the story God has written for me. Faith allows me to see the bigger picture, while a lack of faith invites old habits and familiar demons.

In 2014, artist Jermaine Cole famously said, “I’m tired of living with demons because they’re always inviting more.” Sometimes, those “demons” keep you stuck when life doesn’t work out by your design.

Ephesians 2:8-10
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Faith is an invitation to receive God’s grace, which is given to the undeserving. Faith doesn’t save you. It’s the human instrument God uses to help you see you’re worth saving.

Once your eyes are open to see your purpose in this world and beyond, you don’t want to be stuck with old patterns of thinking, insecurities, and coping mechanisms. The old ways become a relentless cycle - a stagnant and repetitive story that you and others wrote over your life.

The story God has written for you is far better. Have faith in God’s written word. It prepares you for undiscovered chapters of the good plans he has waiting for you.

Questions:
Do you feel stuck in life? What happens when you only find worth in the things you’ve achieved?

Next Steps:
Find better ways to cope by diving deeper into a Christian life. Join a Bible study that breaks down scripture. Pray about everything and ask others to pray with and for you.

Prayer:
God, I want to rest and find peace in your undeserving grace. Let it shape my heart as I follow the steps you have planned for my life. Thank you for offering your Son who paid the price for me. Let his sacrifice quiet every doubt and remind me that your grace is enough. Amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Romans 1:20
For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

This post was written by Jaron Camp, a Findlay attendee and regular contributor to the Daily LivingItOut.