17 APR 26 Devotional - Courage to Believe - From Unbelief to Confession

 

Day 5 – From Unbelief to Confession

Scripture: John 20:26–29

Reflection:

Jesus turns to Thomas—not with anger, but invitation:

“Put your finger here… Stop doubting and believe.”

He meets Thomas exactly where he is—but He refuses to leave him there.

And Thomas responds with one of the clearest declarations in all of Scripture:

“My Lord and my God!”

This is the turning point.

Not just intellectual agreement—but personal surrender.

Not just belief that Jesus is real—but confession that He is Lord.

This is the courage to believe.

And Jesus extends the blessing even further:

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

That includes you.

Application:

Is Jesus truly your Lord and your God?

Let your belief move from concept to confession.

Prayer:

Jesus, You are my Lord and my God. Strengthen my faith and help me live boldly for You. Amen.

16 APR 26 Devotional- Courage to Believe - When you miss the moment

 Day 4 – When You Miss the Moment

Scripture: John 20:24

Reflection:

Thomas missed it.

We don’t know why he wasn’t there—but he wasn’t.

He missed the moment Jesus appeared.

He missed the peace, the joy, the commissioning.

And now he’s left hearing about what everyone else experienced.

It’s easy to feel behind spiritually—to think, “I missed my moment. Others have something I don’t.”

But the story doesn’t end there.

Jesus comes back.

A week later, in the same locked room, Jesus appears again—and this time, Thomas is there.

This is grace:

Jesus meets him personally, directly, and intentionally.

God is not limited by your missed moments.

Application:

Do you feel like you’ve missed something with God?

Return. Stay present. Keep showing up.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You that You meet me where I am. Help me not to withdraw, but to remain near to You. Amen.

15 APR 26 Devotional - Courage to Believe - Peace in the Midst of Fear

Day 3 – Peace in the Midst of Fear

Scripture: John 20:19–21

Reflection:

The disciples were hiding behind locked doors—afraid, uncertain, and overwhelmed.

Then Jesus came.

His first words were not correction, but comfort:

“Peace be with you.”

This peace wasn’t circumstantial—it was relational. The cross had done its work. Reconciliation was complete. The wounds in His hands and side were not just proof of suffering—they were proof of victory.

Fear gave way to joy—not because their situation changed, but because Jesus was present.

And then, without delay, He sent them:

“As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.”

Peace is not the absence of mission—it is the foundation for it.

Application:

Are you waiting for fear to disappear before stepping forward?

Receive His peace now, and move in it.

Prayer:

Lord, speak peace into my fear. Help me to trust Your presence more than my circumstances. Amen. 

14 APR 26 Devotional - Courage to Believe- Courage Before Clarity

 

Day 2 – Courage Before Clarity

Scripture: John 11:14–16

Reflection:

Before Thomas doubted, he was courageous.

When Jesus said He was returning to Judea—a place of danger—it was Thomas who said:

“Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”

That is not the voice of a coward. That is loyalty. That is devotion.

But Thomas misunderstood the mission. He thought the story was heading toward death—when Jesus was preparing to reveal life.

How often do we do the same?

We interpret circumstances through fear, not faith. We assume the worst, even when God is working something greater.

Courage isn’t always the absence of confusion—it’s choosing to follow Jesus even when you don’t fully understand.

Application:

Where might you be misreading your situation?

Ask God to help you see beyond your assumptions.

Prayer:

Jesus, give me courage to follow You—even when I don’t yet understand what You are doing. Amen.

13 APR 26 Devotional - Courage to believe - When Doubt Enters In

 

Day 1 – When Doubt Enters In

Scripture: John 20:24–25

Reflection:

Doubt is not foreign to the human experience—it’s familiar. We doubt outcomes, people, and even ourselves. At its root, doubt asks honest questions: Is this true? Can I trust this?

Thomas wasn’t alone in his struggle. He had seen Jesus die. His expectations had been shattered. When the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord,” he didn’t just hesitate—he drew a line:

“Unless I see… I will not believe.”

This is where doubt begins to drift toward unbelief—not in asking questions, but in refusing to accept truth even when it is presented.

Yet even here, Thomas is not abandoned.

And neither are you.

God is not threatened by your questions. But He lovingly calls you beyond them—toward trust.

Application:

Where has doubt taken root in your life?

Be honest before God today. Name it.

Prayer:

Lord, You see where I struggle to believe. Meet me in my questions, and lead me into truth.