The Crosswalk Devotional: A Daily Devotional Christian Podcast

Romans 7:18-19 highlights the inner struggle every believer faces between sinful desires and the desire to honor God. In this devotional, Aaron D’Anthony Brown challenges Christians to honestly evaluate whether they may be sabotaging their own spiritual growth, relationships, or progress in life. Rather than always blaming circumstances or other people, believers are encouraged to practice self-awareness, humility, and accountability as they confront patterns of unhealthy thinking and behavior.
This devotional reminds readers that spiritual maturity begins with honest reflection and repentance. The Apostle Paul openly acknowledged his battle with sin, showing believers the importance of recognizing personal weaknesses instead of excusing them. Through humility, accountability, and dependence on God, Christians can stop getting in their own way and begin pursuing the righteous life God calls them to live.
Highlights
Romans 7 reveals the ongoing battle between flesh and spirit.
Self-awareness is the first step toward personal and spiritual growth.
Pride can prevent believers from recognizing harmful behaviors.
Accountability helps sharpen and strengthen Christian character.
Excusing sinful habits leads to self-sabotage and spiritual stagnation.
Humility allows believers to receive correction and grow in wisdom.
God calls Christians to actively confront and reject sinful patterns.
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Full Transcript Below:
Are You Getting in Your Own Way?
By Aaron D’Anthony Brown

Bible Reading:
“For I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do what is good is with me, but there is no ability to do it. For I do not do the good that I want to do, but I practice the evil that I do not want to do.” (Romans 7:18-19, CSB)
There’s a certain question we should ask ourselves every now and again: Am I getting in my own way?
When we don’t get the outcomes we want in life, blaming our circumstances and other people comes naturally enough. What doesn’t happen as frequently as it should is looking at the man in the mirror.
Recently, I remember talking to a fellow young man about our desire for marriage. Well, we went out to lunch with women from our church. Something we both wanted. For one reason or another, this getting-to-know-you experience led him to talk about an extremely embarrassing incident. Now, who in their right mind would share that on a first date?
Or take, for instance, a buddy of mine who is encountering deep financial strain. The more anyone tries to encourage him, the more he pushes back with a 'woe-is-me' attitude. He seems to want more negativity to fuel what he already exhibits.
These guys are not alone. I’ve battled with my own negative thinking and dwelling. Perhaps you, too, are sabotaging your own success. So, ask yourself, “Am I getting in my own way?”
Intersecting Faith & Life:
After you ask yourself this important question, the answer should be yes. If not, the following steps are especially for you.
Build self-awareness.
The reason Paul was able to write those particular verses in Romans is that he developed some measure of self-awareness. He may not have completely understood why he behaved the way he did, aside from citing his sinful nature, but he understood something was wrong and wrote about it. He acknowledged the problem, and acknowledgment is the first step to finding a solution.
If you want to build self-awareness in your own life, spend some time pausing and reflecting. Yes, this does mean sitting with your thoughts and not your phone. Question yourself about why you do certain things and not others. The better you know yourself, the more you’ll be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Develop humility.
Humility is underrated and uncommon. So many of us think we have it, yet fail to recognize just how prideful we are. A good way to measure this virtue is to observe how you handle people who disagree with you. Not just the non-believers, but those people you perceive as less (or more) Christian than you. Have they ever proven you wrong about something? When did that last happen? Is it good that you haven’t been wrong since?
Have people around you to call you out.
Having agreement is nice, but if iron is to sharpen iron, then disagreement is essential. Encouraging one another is nice, but we can do so at the expense of others. Instead of seeking to appease those around us, let’s hold each other accountable and do our best to help others reflect Christ.
If you know you’re a sinner, act like it.
Some of us will openly call ourselves sinners in the abstract on any given Sunday, but on other days of the week, we justify our sinful behavior. People know that they practice poor communication, but don’t change it. Overeat but don’t change it. Say that they’re lazy, but don’t change it.
Does God take sin seriously? If you say yes, don’t say, "He made you that way." Recognize that He hates sin, and try your best to hate it as well. Hate the self-sabotage and do something righteous instead.
Further Reading (and Listening):
“Wanna Be Happy?” by Kirk Franklin
Galatians 5:17
James 1:14-15
Matthew 26:41
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This week we are featuring an episode from "On The Ground with Samaritan's Purse". Guest Marina Nobiling, director of national programs at the Samaritan’s Purse Germany office, sheds light on the current cultural and spiritual climate of Germany and talked about the ongoing Samaritan’s Purse projects in the country. There is an immense need for the Gospel to be preached in Germany and for Bible-believing churches to step up and lead.
Resources:
• Listen to “Fighting Spiritual Battles: Human Trafficking in Berlin,” to hear more about Alabaster Jar and how God is transforming hearts amid spiritual darkness.
https://ontheground.samaritanspurse.org/podcast/fighting-spiritual-battles-human-trafficking-in-berlin
“We want to stand for the Gospel. We want to stand for Jesus … And we want to show in our programs and projects what it's like to be with Him; to be living with Jesus.” –Marina Nobiling
Before coming to Christ, Marina said she was not merely neutral towards God, she was an enemy. Marina was in bondage—she battled an eating disorder and anxiety for years to the point of planning to take her own life. But when Marina had an encounter with the Lord, everything changed.
“And I had a voice in my head: ‘I want you to live. And you can do it with my help’ … Itwas beyond any doubt clear. That's Jesus. My whole life I had the wrong thinking. That's not true. God exists.” – Marina Nobiling
Marina went from believing that the Gospel was an old superstition to knocking on the door of the nearest church, asking to be baptized. She was on fire for God. Marina now takes this compassion to the streets of Berlin, ministering to women who are trapped in prostitution. She remembers what it was like to be in bondage and desires for others like her to be free; to be transformed by the love of Christ.
Life can be hard, and Marina still struggles, but she has something to turn to that cannot be shaken: God’s Word. Marina created a “first aid kit” with Psalms and Scriptures that speak to her when she is fighting lies or feeling weighed down by fears. Her favorite verse, Isaiah 43:1, reminds her that she belongs to the Lord—nothing can take that away.
“But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.’” – Isaiah 43:1, ESV
If you’d like to keep up to date with more stories from On the Ground, please visitSamaritansPurse.org.
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Nehemiah 8:9-10 reveals a powerful truth for believers struggling with regret, guilt, and shame: God’s grace is stronger than our failures. In this devotional, Jennifer Slattery explores how shame often traps Christians in cycles of self-condemnation, replaying past mistakes and fearing they will never truly change. Yet God does not call His children to remain crushed beneath shame. Instead, He invites them to receive His forgiveness, walk in restoration, and find strength through His joy.
Using the story of Israel’s return from exile, this devotional highlights how the people grieved over the consequences of their sin while also experiencing the overwhelming grace and provision of God. Though the rubble of brokenness remained, God wanted His people to rebuild from a place of hope rather than condemnation. In the same way, believers today can trust that God is patiently healing, transforming, and restoring them through His grace.
Highlights
Shame often keeps believers trapped in cycles of fear and self-condemnation.
Self-awareness is an important step toward healing and spiritual growth.
God’s grace meets believers in the middle of their brokenness and failures.
Nehemiah 8 reminds us that “the joy of the Lord” is our strength.
Biblical joy comes from knowing God is present, forgiving, and restoring.
God does not want His children rebuilding their lives from shame.
Healing and transformation often happen gradually through God’s grace.
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Full Transcript Below:
How God’s Grace Breaks the Cycle of Shame
By: Jennifer Slattery
Bible Reading:
Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” - Nehemiah 8:9-10
Do you ever lie in bed, replaying your every unkind word or hurtful deed from the day? Do memories of past sins and regrets seize your mind and steal your peace? Do you find yourself looking back with sorrow at the damage your unfiltered words, angry outbursts, or triggered responses caused, longing for a do-over, but also fearful that you’ll forever fall into these unhelpful patterns?
You’re not alone. People often state that the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. There’s truth to that, likely because we so long to live and love like Jesus. Yet, we often fall short, and not for lack of trying.
The other day, I sat with a friend broken by a relational conflict she feared would irrevocably fracture the connection she’d been working to build. Her voice quivered as she said, “I don’t know why I act this way. In the moment, my perspective feels valid, and all I can see is how the other person hurt me. And suddenly, I question their character and intent. Self-isolating thoughts start playing through my mind, like, “She doesn’t really care about you.” “She wants something from you.” “He thinks you’re too much.” “You’re annoying him.” “She’s judging you.” “Why work through this when she’s just going to bail on the relationship anyway?”
My friend’s hunched shoulders and the dark shadows beneath her eyes gave evidence to her sleepless night and the heavy weight of shame she carried.
A tear slid down her cheek. With a deep breath, she brushed it away. “But then, later,” she said, “I see that I overreacted and made things worse. I see the pattern, but I don’t know how to break it.”
Have you been there? The journey toward wholeness and holiness is rarely comfortable or quick. Yes, God holds the power to transform us with a whisper or glance. In my experience, however, He molds my soul gradually, alerting me to an issue, allowing me to see the fallout of my choices, to grieve my brokenness and sin, before He reveals the steps toward victory.
Speaking from experience, I shared a statement that encouraged me when I was just beginning my healing journey. “Self-awareness is the first step to change. You can’t heal what you don’t see or won’t acknowledge.”
Listening, my friend gave a slight nod and offered a half-laugh, half-huff. “Ignorance is bliss?” she asked.
To which I replied, “Temporarily, perhaps. But it’s often when we’re staring at the rubble we’ve helped create that we’re most able to see, and rest in, God’s all-encompassing grace. To gain strength from His grace.”
That’s the message today’s passage conveys. Seventy years after what scholars call the Babylonian exile, an event caused by ancient Israel’s long-standing spiritual rebellion, the Lord brought them back to their homeland to rebuild what their sin had destroyed. He sent them with His abundant provision—gold, silver, animals, priests to lead their faith, and numerous workers to repair Jerusalem’s walls and their sacred temple.
Scripture tells us that:
“The whole company numbered 42,360, besides their 7,337 menservants and maidservants; and they also had 245 men and women singers. There were 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys” (Ezra 2:66, NIV).
In short, the Lord showered them with blessings and tangible evidence of His favor. And they celebrated. They celebrated the work He enabled them to do, the provisions He provided, and the forgiveness He granted.
But this didn’t erase the grief they felt at all that had been lost. The Scripture their religious leaders read brought praise… and a deep awareness of their sin and all it had cost.
Seeing their weeping, Ezra, Nehemiah, and the Lord’s priests spoke today’s passage, encouraging them to receive and find joy in God’s grace.
Biblical joy goes much deeper than a temporary emotion based on our circumstances. It’s the deep awareness of God’s grace—knowing He’s with us, transforming us, rewriting our story, and working all things, our greatest failures included, for our good and His glory.
This might not fix the damage we’ve caused. The ancient Israelites still had to clear away the rubble that once formed their homeland, to rebuild the fractured walls and restore the destroyed temple.
But God wanted them to do so as His beloved, empowered, and absolved children, not from a place of shame.
Shame is exhausting, heavy, and defeating. Grace brings hope, joy, and strength. It lifts the burdens we carry and plants us more firmly in God’s firm yet gentle embrace.
Intersecting Life & Faith:
I sometimes wonder if shame functions as a defense mechanism or a subconscious fail-safe. Is there a part of us that believes our inner critic protects us from future harm by keeping our unwanted behaviors in check?
It’s also a powerful tool of the enemy strategically lobbed to hold us captive.
Regardless, through Christ, we always have a way out. Our sins don’t repel Him; instead, He draws close, with arms open wide—nailed to the cross. We honor the sacrifice He made by learning to receive, in our innermost wounded places, the forgiveness for which He paid such a high price.
That takes time, healing, prayer, and regularly connecting with Him; sitting in His presence. But the more we do so, take in His truth, and rest in His love, the weaker our shame, the greater our joy, and the more enduring our strength.
If you battle shame over a present struggle or past sins, express this to God, and ask Him to break your shame. Then, keep your soul oriented to Him, your spiritual ears attuned to His voice, and your figurative feet ready to follow, trusting Him to lead you step by step, in His perfect timing.
Further Reading:
2 Corinthians 7:910
Isaiah 57:14-15
Habakkuk 3:19
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Galatians 6:7-8 reminds believers that every word, action, and habit plants seeds that will eventually produce a harvest. In this devotional, Whitney Hopler uses a personal gardening story to illustrate the spiritual principle of sowing and reaping. Just as planting the wrong cucumber seeds led to an unexpected bitter harvest, the choices Christians make each day shape the direction and outcome of their lives and relationships.
This devotional encourages believers to carefully examine the seeds they are planting through their speech, attitudes, priorities, and daily decisions. Seeds of selfishness, bitterness, and careless behavior eventually produce painful consequences, while seeds planted through the guidance of the Holy Spirit lead to peace, kindness, spiritual growth, and life-giving relationships. God calls His people to intentionally plant seeds that reflect His character and trust Him for a fruitful harvest in His perfect timing.
Highlights
Every word and action plants seeds that will eventually grow.
Galatians 6 teaches the principle of sowing and reaping.
Careless words can produce bitterness and damaged relationships.
Habits and priorities shape the future harvest of our lives.
Planting for selfish gain leads to regret and devastation.
Planting through the Holy Spirit produces peace, kindness, and self-control.
Spiritual growth often happens slowly before visible fruit appears.
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Full Transcript Below:
What Kind of Seeds Will You Plant?
By: Whitney Hopler
Bible Reading:
“Make no mistake, God is not mocked. A person will harvest what they plant. Those who plant only for their own benefit will harvest devastation from their selfishness, but those who plant for the benefit of the Spirit will harvest eternal life from the Spirit.” – Galatians 6:7-8, CEB
When I first started gardening, the first seed packets I bought were for cucumbers. Our family enjoyed eating cucumbers, and I’d heard that cucumbers were easy to grow. Buying a bunch of cucumber seeds and planting them seemed to be a “no-brainer” decision in the spring. But in the summer, when our cucumbers appeared, I was shocked to see that they didn’t look – or taste – like anything I expected. Instead of the smooth and sweet cucumbers I’d hoped to slice up for our salads, I’d grown what seemed to be cucumber monsters. They were huge, covered in sharp spikes. Biting into their thick, spiky skin was challenging, and when we did, we got a bitter taste that was quite simply gross! It turned out that I’d planted a variety of cucumbers that were usually made into pickles before being eaten – not even close to the variety I usually bought from the grocery store to eat fresh. I wish I had paid more attention to exactly what kind of seeds I planted.
Seeds always grow into something. That’s exactly what the Bible points out in Galatians 6:7-8, which compares people’s words and actions to seeds. The choices we all make every day are planting something that will grow to become something that we – and God – either like or don’t like.
You plant seeds with your words. The way you speak to your spouse, your children, your coworkers, or even yourself matters. Harsh, careless words plant seeds of pain that can distance you from people. Gentle, encouraging words plant seeds of trust that can lead to closer relationships. You may think a careless comment is small and unimportant, but seeds don’t look impressive at first either. Over time, though, they grow into something much bigger.
You also plant seeds with your actions. The priorities you set and the habits you practice day by day will all grow into results you’ll eventually see. If you consistently choose whatever works best for you without considering the other people in your life, you’re planting seeds for your own benefit, just like this Bible passage describes. Those seeds may promise you easy results, but they often grow into situations that leave you feeling bitterness and regret.
On the other hand, if you seek God’s guidance for your decisions, you’re planting for the benefit of the Spirit. Those choices may not be easy. In fact, they can be challenging to make. But God promises that the choices you make along with him will lead to good results.
There’s often a gap between planting and harvesting. That gap can fool you. During that time, you might start to think that it doesn’t matter what you say or do, because you can’t yet see anything bad happening from your choices. But growth is happening under the surface. Roots are forming, and a direction is being set.
So, pay attention now to the words and actions you’re choosing. Just like with the cucumbers, it’s much easier to choose the right seeds at the beginning than to deal with a bitter harvest later. Before you speak, you can pause and think about what might grow from your words. Before you act, you can consider what might grow from what you decide to do.
When you “plant for the benefit of the Spirit,” you line yourself up with God’s life-giving work. You can then start to see fruit like peace, patience, kindness, and self-control growing in you and around you. As a result, your life will taste less bitter, and you can taste the goodness God wants you to enjoy.
Today – and every day – you have a choice. You’re holding seed packets in your hands that will grow into something, depending on the words and actions you choose. So, choose carefully. Ask God to help you plant what leads to life. Then trust that, in time, the harvest will come and you’ll see that your decisions were worth making.
Intersecting Faith & Life:
As you consider what you want to grow in your life, reflect on these questions:
What kinds of seeds have you been planting recently with your words and actions?
Are there any habits in your life that might lead to a bitter harvest if they continue?
Where do you sense God inviting you to plant for the benefit of the Spirit instead of yourself?
What’s a conversation or situation coming up where you can choose to plant better seeds now than you have in the past?
How can you rely more on the Holy Spirit to plant the best seeds now for a good future harvest in a relationship with someone you love?
Further Reading:
Hosea 10:12
James 3:18
Galatians 5:22-23
Matthew 12:34
Proverbs 18:21
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Genesis 2:18 reveals an important truth about God’s design for humanity: we were created for community. In this devotional, Laura Bailey explores the beauty and difficulty of relationships, especially within Christian friendships and church communities. While human relationships can be messy, painful, and disappointing, God never intended believers to walk through life alone. From the very beginning, God established companionship and community as part of His good design for His people.
This devotional reminds Christians that although conflict, hurt, and misunderstanding are inevitable in relationships, isolation is not the answer. Throughout Scripture, from Adam and Eve to the early church in Acts, God consistently calls His people to worship, grow, encourage, and persevere together. Community strengthens faith, provides accountability, and reflects the love of Christ as believers extend grace and forgiveness to one another despite imperfections.
Highlights
God created people to live in relationship and community.
Genesis 2:18 shows that isolation was never part of God’s design.
Christian friendships and church relationships can sometimes be painful and messy.
Believers are called to extend grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Community provides encouragement, accountability, and spiritual growth.
The early church thrived through worship and life together.
Walking away from Christian community is not God’s solution to hurt.
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Full Transcript Below:
Created for Community
By: Laura Bailey
Bible Reading:
The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” - Genesis 2:18 NIV

I could tell by the slump in my daughter’s shoulders as she walked towards the car that something was wrong. The slamming of the vehicle door, accompanied by an aggressive sigh, confirmed my suspicions. While it is not unusual for my middle school daughter to offer little to our conversation on our ride home, today, it was radio silent.
As I turned into the driveway, I told her we weren't going inside until we talked about what was going on. “I am done with friends! I am better off alone!” she exclaimed. My momma’s heart immediately dropped. For many years, we avoided friendship drama, but I knew sooner or later it would weasel its way into our lives. As she regaled the events of the day, I nodded my head in solidarity, held her in my arms, and tried to offer ( to no avail, raising a middle school daughter is tough!) words of comfort.

Holding back tears, she asked, “Mom, why would they act this way? They are supposed to be my friends, my Christian friends.” Whew – while the surface-level answer is not complicated to diagnose, the root cause of conflict is a bit harder to digest.
I think we’ve all been there. I am 40 years old, and I still ask the same question. Relationships are complicated, no matter what stage of life you're in. The reality is that our relationships with other believers are, unfortunately, some of the most difficult. And, if I am honest, I’ve had the same sentiment as my daughter, “I don’t need these people, I am better off alone.” Especially when it comes to the church.

Likely, you don’t need to be convinced of the messiness of worshiping with saints who act more like sinners. Like most things, it is easier for us to focus on the negative aspects of our churches than on the positives. During the season I mentioned above, while there were people in the church walls who caused me affliction, there were also members who brought me great joy, comfort, and encouragement.

While I don’t excuse the harm caused by fellow Christians, I must also acknowledge that I’ve intentionally and unintentionally inflicted hurt on my church family, too. And just as I hoped they’d give me the opportunity for forgiveness and reconciliation, I need to do the same. As we say in the south, “don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.”
Simply put, mess and all, life is better together.

We see in Genesis 1 that God declares His creation “good” (Genesis 1:25). However, when He created man, He proclaims humanity is “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Humans are the climax of the creation story, the most cherished possession of the Lord. Created in God’s image, we are the reflection of our Creator, and it’s not just good, but very good. However, God looks at Adam's singleness and declares, “it is not good for man to be alone ( Genesis 2:18). What was God’s solution: a companion, an Ezer in the original Hebrew, a helpmate for Adam.
With Adam and Eve’s union, we see the first example of human community; however, the idea of living in a group is prevalent throughout Scripture, as exemplified by the Jewish Nation, a people set apart by God. (Exodus 19:3-6) While they had an individual responsibility to keep these commands, God is addressing the collective body of the Israelites. Think of it as a built-in accountability. God wanted the Israelites to understand that they needed each other, not just to meet their physical needs, or make life easier, but to strengthen and encourage one another in the faith.
Then, in the New Testament, we see examples of early Christians gathered in community in Acts 2:1-4 and Acts 2:42-47. Christians gathered while the Spirit rested on them individually; corporately, they worshiped and praised the Lord. And the early church grew because of its strong ties to living in community and corporate worship.

As tempting as it might be to abandon corporate worship, walking away from community worship is not the answer. God created humans for community; we need each other. Let’s embrace the imperfect body of believers as we stand united in the perfectness of Christ.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Have you experienced the messiness of human relationships? How does knowing God created you for community help you to forgive offenses and embrace imperfect people with grace and love?

Further Reading:
Hebrews 10:24-25
What Does the Bible Say About Love in Action?
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