The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

Have you ever made a decision out of fear, acted against God’s Word, or wondered whether your mistakes could disrupt His plan for your life? The story of Abram in Genesis 12 reminds us that human unfaithfulness does not cancel God’s faithfulness. Although Abram responded to fear with deception and failed to trust God’s protection, the Lord remained present and continued working through His promises.
God’s faithfulness does not excuse disobedience or remove the consequences of our choices, but it reminds us that our failures do not have the final word. Like Abram, we may struggle to trust God when circumstances feel uncertain, yet His purposes remain secure. Understanding God’s sovereignty, mercy, and grace can give us confidence to repent, pursue obedience, and trust that He is working for our good and His glory—even when we recognize how often we have fallen short.
Highlights
What Abram’s choices in Genesis 12 reveal about fear, deception, and unfaithfulness
How God remained faithful even when Abram failed to trust His promises
Why God’s sovereignty does not excuse our disobedience or remove personal responsibility
The relationship between human free will and God’s ultimate purposes
How God’s mercy and grace meet us when our choices fall short of His will
Why we can trust that our mistakes cannot ultimately thwart God’s plans
How recognizing God’s faithfulness can motivate us to walk in obedience and trust
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Full Transcript Below:
The Faithfulness of God When We Are Unfaithful
By: Laura Bailey
Bible Reading:
Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning Abram. They sent Abram away with his wife and everything that he had. - Genesis 12:20
My middle daughter, Abigail, is only 9 years old, but she can ask some deep questions. On the way to basketball one night, she asked, “Mom, you said that you made a lot of bad choices before you got married; thankfully, God protected you, and His purpose prevailed. Does that mean we can do whatever we want and God will still make things happen?” Whew, that’s a lot for a ten-minute car ride.
Gratefully, another example of God’s providence: I’d been studying about Abram and how even though he was unfaithful, God was still faithful. While God wasn’t pleased with Abram’s disobedience, God used Abram’s sinful choices in the fulfillment of his plan for his life. Genesis 12 is a beautiful example of how God uses humanity's sins to achieve His purposes. This chapter opens with God telling Abram to leave his country for a new land. God promises to make Abram into a great nation and to bless him; ultimately, all the families of the earth will be blessed through Abram (Genesis 12:1-3). That’s a pretty weighty promise! Abram responds by packing up his family and moving to the land of Canaan as instructed. Once settled, Abram builds an altar as a sign of worship and dedication to the Lord (Genesis 12:4-9).
It would appear that Abram is fully bought in and trusts in God’s plan, but we see in the following verses that’s not the case. Due to a drought, Abram and his wife Sarai had to travel to the land of Egypt. Sarai was very beautiful, and Abram was afraid that they would kill him to take her as Pharaoh’s wife. Abram decided it would be better for him if they claimed to be brother and sister. As a result, Sarai ends up living with the Pharaoh. Some time passes, and it is revealed that Abram and Sarai are not siblings but married. The Pharaoh gets pretty angry, rightfully so, considering God sent plagues on Pharaoh and his household. When confronted, Abram didn’t have a good excuse, not to the Pharaoh and not to the Lord (Genesis 12:10-20). His actions—his deception—were born out of fear; Abram didn’t trust that God would protect and provide, even though He said He would.

Even though Abram was unfaithful, God was still faithful. Abram could do nothing to disrupt or distract from God’s purposes. God is always present; He never leaves or forsakes His children (Deuteronomy 31:8).
It’s easy for me to look at Abram with a critical eye, “Why didn’t you just trust that God would protect you? He said he would. Look at the mess that could have been avoided if you had simply let God stay in control.” But someone could easily say the same was true for me. I had free will and used it to make decisions that ran counter to God’s Word, and could have faced consequences that would have radically changed the outcome of my life. I am eternally grateful that, because of God’s mercy and grace (the same He has shown throughout humanity’s existence), I ended up marrying my husband and becoming a mom to three beautiful blessings.

I admitted to Abigail that I don’t know how exactly it all works; we have choices, but God is in ultimate control. But what I do know is that as God’s children, we can trust that He is working all things for our good and His glory. No matter how hard we try, we don’t have the power to thwart God's plans or purpose–praise the Lord!
Intersecting Faith & Life:

How does knowing that nothing you can do can thwart God's plan give you the desire to walk in obedience to His will?

Further Reading:
Genesis 12
Unwavering Faith Amid Uncertainty
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When the world feels chaotic and peace seems impossible to find, where can you turn for relief from fear, anxiety, and uncertainty? News headlines, personal struggles, and troubling circumstances can leave our hearts unsettled. But the Bible reminds us that lasting peace does not come from our surroundings or from trying to control every situation. True peace comes through Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, and through trusting God even when life feels overwhelming.
Isaiah 26:3 teaches that God keeps in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast because they trust in Him. While the world cannot guarantee safety or calm, God offers peace that guards our hearts and minds through Christ. By asking God for His peace, focusing on Scripture, rejecting false sources of security, and practicing peace in our daily relationships, we can learn to rely on Him in troubling times. Even when peace cannot be found around us, we can seek the steady peace God provides.
Highlights
Why the world cannot provide the lasting peace our hearts desperately need
How trusting God helps us find peace amid fear, chaos, and uncertainty
What Isaiah 26:3 teaches about keeping our minds steadfast in God
Why Jesus is the true source of peace and how His peace differs from what the world offers
Four practical ways to trust God for peace when life feels overwhelming
How prayer and studying God’s Word can calm our fears and remind us of His faithfulness
Why Christians are called to practice peace and become peacemakers in their daily lives
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Full Transcript Below:
Trusting God When Peace Cannot Be Found
By Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading:
“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.” - Isaiah 26:3
Listening to the news and reading social media reminds us what a troubling world we live in, filled with wars, natural disasters, civil unrest, mass shootings, assassinations, sickness, disease, accidents, and much more.
If we’re looking for peace in a world of chaos, we won’t find it there because the world can’t offer us something it doesn’t have to give. Peace isn’t something people can conjure up or find in things, situations, or even another person or group. It comes through only one source: Jesus, the Prince of Peace and Savior of the world.
As Isaiah 9:6 describes, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Jesus Himself also assures us that He is our source of peace, saying in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Trusting God is where our hearts and minds find relief from the troubles, worries, and fears of the world we live in.
The High Cost of Peace
Jesus is the world’s source of peace, yet every day it seems millions are rejecting Him and His offer to give them peace.
Rather than receiving His gift of peace, they put up a barrier of unbelief between themselves and God, isolating themselves from the peace they so desperately seek in the world.
Jesus’ peace came at a high price, too, as Isaiah 53:5 explains, “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.”
Still, His peace is what guards our hearts and minds while we live in a harsh and cruel world, as Philippians 4:7 explains: “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
4 Ways to Help Us Trust God for Peace
Some of us aren’t sure how to trust God in a peaceless world. The following are four ways to help us begin trusting God for peace when we cannot find it in the world.
Ask God for His peace. Sometimes we believe God doesn’t want us asking for His help, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.
James 4:2 describes why some lack peace: “You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet, but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.”
Focus on God’s Word and His promises. Reading and studying God’s Word fills our hearts and minds with His truth and unfailing promises, reminding us of His faithfulness and calming our fears.
Proverbs 4:22 reminds us of the importance of feeding on them: “For they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.”
Resist following and practicing false offers of peace. Religions other than Christianity offer peace, saying it comes through various practices, including exercises, chants, and offerings. Although we may think some of these things are harmless, they can confuse our hearts and minds and lead us away from where true peace is found because there is only one way to find it.
As Isaiah 59:8 describes, “The way of peace they do not know; there is no justice in their paths. They have turned them into crooked roads; no one who walks along them will know peace.”
Practice peace in our daily lives. Jesus walked in peace while on earth, and we can choose daily to walk in and practice peace, too, by choosing it over conflict, anger, and offense. When confronted with situations that cause us to feel anxious and unsettled, we can choose to practice peace instead.
As Jesus taught in Matthew 5:9, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Are you experiencing God’s peace today, the peace that comes through knowing Jesus Christ? If not, receive it today by asking Him to come into your life.
Further Reading:
Finding Peace When Life Feels Out of Control
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When you make a mistake and have to face the consequences, it can be easy to wonder whether God will still help you. Our poor choices can create difficult situations, strained relationships, and problems we cannot simply undo. But the consequences of our mistakes do not mean God has abandoned us. Scripture shows that even when we make wrong decisions, God can meet us in the middle of the situation and help us move forward.
Joshua 10:6 shows the Israelites asking Joshua for help after their decision involving the Gibeonites left them facing an unexpected battle. Instead of leaving them to deal with the consequences alone, God provided help and gave them victory. Their story reminds us that God’s faithfulness is not dependent on our perfection. When we have made mistakes, we can bring our circumstances to Him, seek His guidance, take responsibility for our choices, and trust that He can still work through difficult situations.
Highlights
Why making a mistake does not mean God has abandoned you
How our choices can create consequences we cannot simply undo
What Joshua 10:6 reveals about God’s help in difficult circumstances
Why taking responsibility for our mistakes is part of moving forward
How God can work through situations created by our poor decisions
The importance of turning to God instead of facing consequences alone
Encouragement to trust God’s faithfulness even when you are dealing with the results of a mistake
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Full Transcript Below:
Coping with Jealousy in a Comparison-Driven World
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading:
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice” (James 3:16).
A sin I struggle with in my life is jealousy. I have often been jealous of others because they are happy and I’m not. I was talking to a friend a while ago about my jealousy issue because I was quite upset. Another friend of mine had the privilege of going to the once-in-a-lifetime Taylor Swift Eras Tour. This friend hadn't even been a fan for a year yet. I, on the other hand, have been a fan since I was eight years old, when her debut album was released. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the Eras Tour because it was incredibly expensive and notoriously hard to get tickets. When my friend casually told me she had bought a ticket to see the Eras Tour, I was jealous, but also mad.
Since I already struggle with depression, I am a pro at hiding my emotions, and I hid my jealousy from her. However, when I was talking to my other friend about it, he told me that my feelings were valid, but that the jealousy issue was something I would need to work on. He helped me understand exactly why I was jealous and mad, and how to cope with these feelings in a healthy way.
I still struggle with feelings of jealousy at times, but I’m also aware of how bitter it can make us. It can also make us extremely unhappy. As my therapist friend told me, “Wouldn't it be better to focus on your own life rather than wanting what others have?” While this is something I’m still trying to apply, I am making small progress each day.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Something else I have found helpful with my jealousy is studying what the Bible says and asking the Lord to help me with these feelings. The Bible tells us, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice” (James 3:16). These are the words of James, the half-brother of the Lord, and we need to take them to heart. Whenever we have envy and selfish ambition, we will find disorder and every evil practice.
I can certainly say James’s words are true because jealousy has never helped me in the slightest. Instead, it only makes our lives worse. Rather than enjoying our own lives, we will only focus on the things we don’t have. While there is nothing wrong with wanting better things in life, we don’t need to covet what others have or be jealous of others (Exodus 20:17).
This is the challenge being placed before us today: we need to replace jealousy with contentment. As Paul says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it” (1 Timothy 6:6-7). Contentment can transform our lives into ones full of peace, serenity, and solace.
By going to the Lord in prayer, being honest about our jealousy, and seeking His guidance in the Bible, we will begin to see our lives change. Our hearts will be less prone to lean toward jealousy and will begin to shift toward contentment. Ask the Lord to help you today and find inner peace in what He has given you in life.
Jealousy is a common sin in many of our lives. Why do you think it is so easy to become jealous of others or what they have? Do you have a story of a time when jealousy turned you into somebody you are not? If so, what happened? How did you feel? What are some ways you can swap jealousy for contentment?
Pray with me: Dear Jesus, my heart is prone to roam after jealousy. Please forgive me for this sin. I ask that You transform my heart into a heart of contentment. Turn my heart away from yearning after what others have. Fill my heart with contentment, hope, and peace. I give You all the praise and thanks, Lord. Amen.
Further Reading:
Exodus 20:17
Proverbs 14:30
1 Corinthians 10:13
James 3:14-15, 4:2-3
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Where can you find God’s blessings when life feels ordinary, frustrating, or even painful? God’s goodness is often present in ways we overlook—the breath in our lungs, daily provision, protection, meaningful relationships, and quiet moments of peace. Like hidden treasures beneath layers of rock, these blessings become easier to recognize when we slow down and intentionally look for them.
Job 28:10 reminds us that treasures can be discovered when we are willing to search for them. The same can be true of our relationship with God. Even during difficult seasons, He can be developing spiritual treasures such as patience, kindness, perseverance, and deeper faith. Most importantly, God’s presence is with us in the darkness. When we learn to look beyond our circumstances and seek God’s work in our everyday lives, we can begin to notice the countless ways He is supporting, protecting, and loving us.
Highlights
How to recognize God’s hidden blessings in everyday life
Why slowing down can help us notice God’s goodness and provision
What Job 28:10 teaches us about searching for hidden treasures
How difficult seasons can produce spiritual treasures like patience and kindness
Why God’s presence is the greatest treasure we can discover in times of suffering
Practical ways to train yourself to notice God’s work instead of focusing only on problems
Questions to help you recognize the people, promises, and blessings God has already placed in your life
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Full Transcript Below:
Find Hidden Treasures from God
By: Whitney Hopler
Bible Reading:
“They tunnel through the rock; their eyes see all its treasures.” – Job 28:10, NIV
On a trip to Norway, I went through so many tunnels while traveling in cars and trains that I completely lost count. As I traveled through the tunnels, I thought about the incredible engineering required to blast through all that hard rock. I also thought about all the natural treasures that are hidden deep inside rocks. More than 4,000 different kinds of beautiful minerals and gemstones can be buried in rocks all around our planet. When people tunnel through rock, they may discover quartz, garnet, amethyst, and many more varieties of treasures.
Job 28:10 points out that tunneling through rock reveals treasures. It’s necessary to make an effort to find treasures. But treasures are there, waiting to be discovered, when we’re willing to do the work of trying to find them.
God is constantly pouring blessings into your life, and every single one of those blessings is a treasure. But some of them may be hidden until you make an effort to search for them. If you explore and ask God to help you find the treasures he has given you, you’ll start to see that God’s goodness is glittering all around you. God’s goodness is in the breath filling your lungs right now, and the strength in your legs that lets you walk across the room. You can see it when you enjoy a good meal, turn on the tap for clean water, or drive home safely without any trouble. Even a frustrating red light can be God protecting you from danger ahead, and a quiet, boring day can be God’s way of giving you peace. Once you start looking, you’ll see that God is taking care of you in countless ways every single day.
Even when you find yourself traveling through a difficult season that feels like being stuck inside a dark tunnel, these hidden treasures are still there. In fact, some of God’s most valuable blessings are formed in the dark. Just as pressure and heat create diamonds deep beneath the earth’s surface, hard times can produce beautiful spiritual qualities like patience and kindness that help you grow in holiness. When you’re inside a dark tunnel of suffering in this fallen world, it’s easy to doubt God’s love for you. But if you look closely, you’ll find that God has placed the most valuable treasure of all – God’s presence with you – right there in the dark. By finding God’s presence with you, you can also discover God’s blessings for you, which you wouldn’t notice if you weren’t focused on your relationship with God.
You have to change how you look at your daily circumstances so you can find treasures from God. Instead of just trying to hurry through your days, ask God to help you notice his work in your life. You need to look closely at your life while praying for God’s guidance to find the hidden ways God is supporting, protecting, and loving you right now.
When you make an effort to seek God and look for the wonder of God’s work in your life, you can see all the blessings God is generously giving you. So, look beyond the surface of your life and seek God. Get excited about discovering all the beautiful, hidden treasures God has placed in your life!
Intersecting Faith & Life:
As you consider how to find hidden treasures from God, reflect on these questions:
What’s one treasure God has already given you that you might easily overlook if you’re too busy, but can find it when you let yourself rest and focus on God more?
When you look back at a past difficult season, what spiritual treasures did God develop in you through that hard time?
How can you train yourself to see God’s daily goodness rather than just focusing on your problems?
Who are the people in your life who you realize are blessings from God when you make time to reflect on them? How can you thank them, and thank God for them, today?
What’s one of God’s promises from the Bible that you can carry like a hidden treasure in your heart and mind this week?
Further Reading:
Isaiah 45:3
Colossians 2:3
Proverbs 2:4-5
Matthew 13:44
Psalm 119:162
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Pride doesn’t always look like arrogance or boasting. Sometimes it shows up in quieter ways—talking more than listening, only investing in people who seem useful, or constantly saying there isn’t enough time for others. These subtle forms of pride can reveal that our attention is more focused on ourselves than on loving and serving the people around us.
Philippians 2:3-4 calls Christians to replace selfish ambition with humility by considering others and their interests. Following Jesus means examining not only what we do, but also why we do it. When we become more willing to listen, make time for others, and engage with people without expecting something in return, we begin to reflect the humility of Christ. Recognizing subtle pride isn’t about condemning ourselves—it’s about allowing God to reshape our priorities, relationships, and hearts.
Highlights
How pride can appear in subtle ways we may not immediately recognize
Why only engaging with people who are useful can reveal selfishness
What listening more and speaking less can teach us about humility
Why “I don’t have time” may actually reveal our priorities
How Philippians 2:3-4 challenges us to consider others more important than ourselves
Why honest self-examination is essential for recognizing pride in our lives
Practical ways to replace selfishness and conceit with humility, generosity, and genuine care for others
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Full Transcript Below:
Surprising Ways Pride Shows Itself
By Aaron D’Anthony Brown
Bible Reading:
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3-4, CSB)
In his epistle to the church of Phillipi, Paul urges fellow believers to be “united in spirit” with one another (Philippians 2:2). He wanted everyone to be on the same page with what they believed and how they lived as Christ followers. He goes on to say that such a life is lived by esteeming others as more important than ourselves. Don’t look to what brings you the most glory; do what benefits others. We hear the same sentiment preached in church today, but how many of us live this out?
While our pastors talk about loving our neighbors, building the church up from within, and sharing the Gospel with nonbelievers, we don’t often seem to be on the same accord. Even if we do these things, our motivations are sometimes selfish. We should be prioritizing others, but really, we’re interested in ourselves.
I’ve heard believers say things like “I enjoy hearing myself talk,” or claim they don’t have time to hang out with other Christians. Then suddenly they’re dating someone, which requires a lot more time. Or perhaps the only time they show genuine interest in you is when you’re going through a hard time. Otherwise, you’re simply not important.
Naturally, we won’t be close to or have deep conversations with everyone. However, it’s important to consider whether day-to-day relationships, conversations, and actions reflect selfish conceit or humility.
Perhaps, we have such a hard time esteeming others as more important because in our minds, no one is more important than ourselves. Pride is often called one of the most deadly sins, maybe the most deadly. When we start thinking we know best, it becomes a gateway for other sins.
You might not think of yourself as prideful - I generally don’t - but if we’re being honest, we can all be a bit prideful sometimes. C.S Lewis said, “There is one vice of which no man in the world is free; which everyone in the world loathes when he sees it in someone else, and of which hardly any people, except Christians, ever imagine that they are guilty themselves” (Mere Christianity). The sooner we acknowledge this truth, the sooner we can change our thinking and get ourselves on one accord.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
Most people won’t need help identifying the major ways pride affects our lives, but who says pride can’t be subtle? Here are three ways we might not even realize:
Only engaging with people who are useful.
One mistake Christians make is only engaging with people at church who are useful. This means ignoring others until they join your team or become a friend of your friend, etc. Don’t we all have some measure of importance and worth given by God? Why not be open to speaking and engaging with people as the norm?
For those who don’t, when you finally decide to interact, you risk making the encounter uncomfortable, and more than that, disingenuous.
Talking as opposed to listening.
The Bible says to be slow to speak and quick to listen, but few live this out (James 1:19). God gave us two ears and one mouth. I’ve been told there should be a ratio for how we communicate: listen twice as much as you speak.
Not making time for others.
We’re probably all guilty of using the phrase, “I haven’t had the time,” but if we took time to consider what that statement means, we’d say something else instead. Everyone is given the same amount of time within a day. Twenty-four hours. However, we all use our time differently. The issue is not having enough time, but rather priority - what’s important and what’s not. Or at the very least, what is most important. We prioritize what we value most.
Therefore, we should stop telling people we don’t have time to do that favor, read that book, or do that thing. We simply haven't made the time yet. That’s the honest answer.
And the sooner we can be more honest, the sooner we can stop pride from stifling our callings.
Further Reading:
Proverbs 11:2
Proverbs 16:18
Proverbs 29:23
Jeremiah 9:23
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