5 Day Devotional
Day 1: Running on Empty
Devotional
Have you ever found yourself driving with the gas light on, desperately searching for the next station? That anxious feeling of potentially being stranded mirrors what many of us experience spiritually. We're running on fumes, exhausted from life's demands, yet we keep pushing forward hoping we'll somehow make it to our destination.
Just like those early car owners in 1913 who had to hunt for gasoline at pharmacies and general stores, we often find ourselves scrambling for spiritual fuel in all the wrong places. We scroll through social media looking for encouragement, binge-watch shows hoping for distraction, or throw ourselves into work thinking busyness will fill the void. But these are temporary fixes that leave us even more depleted.
The beautiful truth is that God never intended for us to run on empty. He designed us to be regularly refueled by His presence, His Word, and His people. When we're spiritually depleted, we lose our joy, our peace, and our sense of purpose. We become irritable, anxious, and disconnected from what truly matters.
Recognizing that you're running on empty isn't a sign of weakness—it's the first step toward finding the spiritual gas station your soul desperately needs. God is waiting to fill you up, but you have to be willing to pull over and acknowledge your need for Him.
Bible Verse
'The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.' - Psalm 23:1-6
Reflection Question
What areas of your life feel spiritually depleted right now, and what have you been using to try to fill that emptiness instead of turning to God?
Quote
So many of us feel like we've just been running on empty. We're just low on energy.
Prayer
Lord, I confess that I've been running on empty, trying to fuel my soul with things that can't truly satisfy. Help me recognize when I'm spiritually depleted and give me the wisdom to turn to You first. Fill me with Your presence and restore my weary soul. Amen.
Day 2: The Divine Guarantee
Devotional
In a world full of broken promises and uncertain guarantees, wouldn't it be amazing to have something you could count on with absolute certainty? Something that came with a lifetime warranty, no questions asked?
That's exactly what God offers us in Psalm 23:6. The word 'surely' isn't just a hopeful wish—it's a divine guarantee. It's like God stamping His signature on a contract, promising that His goodness and love will follow you every single day of your life. Not just the good days, not just when you're faithful, but ALL the days.
This promise is so certain that it changes everything about how we approach life's challenges. When you're facing a difficult season, you can hold onto this guarantee. When relationships disappoint you, when health fails, when finances are tight, when dreams seem shattered—God's goodness and love are still pursuing you.
The Apostle Paul understood this certainty. Despite facing constant persecution, imprisonment, and hardship, he remained convinced that God was able to guard what he had entrusted to Him. Paul's confidence wasn't based on his circumstances but on the unchanging character of God.
This divine guarantee isn't something you earn or lose based on your performance. It's rooted in God's nature, not your behavior. His goodness and love aren't conditional—they're constant, pursuing you even when you're running away from Him.
Bible Verse
'That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.' - 2 Timothy 1:12
Reflection Question
How would your daily decisions and responses to challenges change if you truly believed that God's goodness and love are guaranteed to follow you every day of your life?
Quote
God will certainly give you goodness and mercy and it will be certain and it will be complete in every way. There's not a question about it. It is certain.
Prayer
Father, help me to truly grasp the certainty of Your promises. When doubt creeps in and circumstances look bleak, remind me that Your goodness and love are guaranteed. Give me the same confidence Paul had, knowing that You are able to guard what I've entrusted to You. Amen.
Day 3: Strength Through Trials
Devotional
It's easy to look at biblical heroes like Paul and think they were somehow superhuman, that they possessed some special spiritual strength we lack. But the truth is, Paul was just as human as we are. He felt pain, discouragement, and uncertainty just like we do.
What made Paul different wasn't that he avoided trials—it's that he learned to see God's hand at work through them. He didn't always see it in the moment. When he was being beaten, imprisoned, or shipwrecked, he probably wasn't thinking, 'Thank you, God, for this wonderful opportunity!' But looking back, he could see how God had been faithful through every difficult season.
This is crucial for us to understand because we often expect to feel God's presence most strongly during our hardest moments. We think we should have perfect peace in the storm or immediate clarity in confusion. But that's not usually how it works. Most of the time, we see God's faithfulness in the rearview mirror, not through the windshield.
The key is learning to trust God's character even when we can't see His plan. Paul became more convinced through trials, not less, that God was working all things together for good. Each challenge became another opportunity to experience God's sustaining power and to build his testimony of God's faithfulness.
Your current struggles aren't evidence that God has abandoned you—they're opportunities for Him to demonstrate His faithfulness in ways you've never experienced before.
Bible Verse
'So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.' - 2 Timothy 1:8
Reflection Question
Looking back at past difficulties in your life, how can you see God's faithfulness that you might not have recognized in the moment, and how can this perspective help you trust Him in your current challenges?
Quote
Paul was no superhuman. He wasn't. And although this is. This can be my spiritual speculation and some of those challenging events, do you really think he sees those signs of God at work in his life? Probably not. He sees it later, though.
Prayer
Lord, help me to see that You are working even when I can't feel Your presence. Give me Paul's perspective to become more convinced of Your faithfulness through trials, not less. Use my struggles to build a testimony of Your goodness that can encourage others. Amen.
Day 4: Daily Spiritual Nourishment
Devotional
Imagine trying to survive on just twelve meals a year. Your body would be weak, malnourished, and unable to function properly. Yet many of us treat our spiritual lives exactly this way—showing up to church occasionally and wondering why we feel spiritually weak and disconnected from God.
We live in an age of incredible spiritual resources. We have access to the Bible in multiple translations, worship music, podcasts, and countless tools for spiritual growth. Yet despite this abundance, many believers are spiritually malnourished. We spend hours consuming content that tears down our faith while investing minimal time in God's Word.
The problem isn't lack of resources—it's our priorities and habits. We carefully plan our meals, our workouts, and our entertainment, but we leave our spiritual nourishment to chance. We consume whatever spiritual content happens to cross our path rather than intentionally feeding our souls with what they need to thrive.
Just as your physical body needs regular meals to stay healthy, your spirit needs daily nourishment through Bible reading, prayer, and fellowship. Consider starting a prayer journal to track how God moves in your life. You'll be amazed at how He works in ways you never expected when you start paying attention.
Regular spiritual nourishment isn't about legalistic rule-following—it's about maintaining the relationship that gives life meaning and purpose. When you're well-fed spiritually, you have strength for life's challenges and joy that circumstances can't steal.
Bible Verse
'For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.' - 2 Timothy 1:6
Reflection Question
What specific changes could you make to your daily routine to ensure you're receiving regular spiritual nourishment rather than surviving on spiritual scraps?
Quote
If you only went to the restroom once a week, you ain't regular. Just telling you you ain't regular, you know, so you need to be, you need to be in the Word more often than just once a week.
Prayer
God, forgive me for neglecting my spiritual health while being so careful about other areas of my life. Help me establish healthy spiritual habits that will nourish my soul daily. Give me hunger for Your Word and discipline to prioritize time with You. Amen.
Day 5: Making Your Dash Count
Devotional
On every tombstone, there are two dates separated by a small dash. That dash represents an entire lifetime—all the dreams, relationships, achievements, struggles, and moments that make up a human existence. The question isn't how long your dash will be, but how significant it will be.
Some dashes represent lives lived with purpose and impact, while others represent years that simply passed by. The difference isn't determined by how much time you have, but by how intentionally you live the time you're given. Every day is an opportunity to make your dash more meaningful.
Living a significant life requires making tough choices. You have to say no to good things so you can say yes to great things. This means prioritizing your relationship with God over the endless distractions that compete for your attention. It means choosing to invest in eternal things rather than just temporary pleasures.
The most significant lives are those that are regularly recharged by God's presence. When you stay connected to Him, you have the wisdom to make decisions that matter, the strength to persevere through difficulties, and the love to impact others in lasting ways.
Your dash is being written right now, today, through the choices you make and the priorities you set. Don't wait until tomorrow to start living with purpose. Don't try to run on spiritual fumes when God is offering to fill you up with His presence and power.
The question isn't whether your dash will end—it's whether it will matter when it does.
Bible Verse
'For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.' - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
Reflection Question
If your life ended today, what would your 'dash' represent, and what changes do you need to make to ensure your remaining time has eternal significance?
Quote
That dash is what makes the difference. Some of those dashes tend to be small. I've seen some of them just go, man, that was long life. And I wonder how significant that dash is, how significant is your dash going to be?
Prayer
Lord, help me live with eternity in mind. Show me what needs to change in my priorities and habits so that my life counts for Your kingdom. Don't let me waste the precious time You've given me. Make my dash significant for Your glory. Amen.