Shake It Off and Step Up

Reading: 2 Corinthians 10:5; Colossians 3:15

Devotional: Life will shovel dirt on you—criticism, disappointment, setbacks, opposition. The enemy intends to bury you under the weight. But what if every shovelful became a stepping stone instead of a grave? You have authority to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ. This means you choose what you meditate on. When stress shows up, ask: "Did God assign me this responsibility, or did I pick it up myself?" Then shake it off. Refuse to internalize what God never authorized you to carry. Let Christ's peace rule—the word "rule" means to act as umpire, deciding what stays and what goes.

Today, identify one burden you've been carrying that God never gave you. Release it through prayer. Then take a step up—choose one action of faith that moves you forward. God is elevating you through what was meant to bury you. Shake off the stress and step into the peace that's already yours in Christ.

Reflection Question for the Week: What would change in my life if I truly believed that God's grace is sufficient for everything I'm facing today?