3-Minute Devotions for Teen GuysSample

Permission to Turn Your Back

It doesn’t take much skill to sin, and it only gets easier. Doing the wrong thing can seem empowering. Wearing the wardrobe of a rebel can appear to offer independence, but it never does. The choice to sin is actually inviting our enemy to influence future decisions. God knows the end result of sin is death, which is why He gives us access to life. We’re restored in our relationship with God when we turn from the easy choice to sin to the life-affirming choice to obey. Repentance requires turning away from the choice to sin. Sometimes, we want to be forgiven but don’t want to stop making the same sinful choice. We ask God to forgive but keep looking at and entertaining the same sinful choices. The choice to turn away can seem hard. You have an emotional attachment to sin. God wants to change your mind. Repentance is your positive response to His desire to restore you to life.

Prayer: Dear God, sometimes I don’t want to do the right thing. This is a bad place for me to be, and You’ve always offered a way out. You offer forgiveness, but You want me to turn my back on the easy choice and follow You. Help me listen for Your voice, read Your Words, and follow Your plan. Amen.

Was this plan helpful? We adapted it from the book 3-Minute Devotions for Guys.