As Christians, there are traps set up all around us that hold us back and hinder our spiritual growth. From the weight of worry to the toxic snare of comparison, each day presents an opportunity to confront these traps head-on. Discover how in this Bible Reading Plan!
LCBC Church
Day 1
Scripture: Matthew 6:25-34
The Worry Trap
Life is unpredictable. At times, it can be scary and overwhelming. If we aren’t careful, we can worry ourselves into a hopeless mess. And because God tells us not to worry, we might even find ourselves worrying about how much we worry. How exhausting is that?
Why does God tell us not to worry? He knows that worrying doesn’t add anything good to our lives. Worrying robs us of joy, peace, and hope. God doesn’t promise an easy life. He doesn’t promise prosperity or a carefree walk through all our days. He does promise to never leave us, and he promises to provide for our needs. Worrying turns our focus from the truth that God is in control and loves us and, instead, focuses our thoughts on our fears.
Let’s break free from the trap of worry by training ourselves to remember God’s character and promises. He is sovereign. He’ll give us something better than what we want—he’ll give us what we need. As we remind ourselves that God is in control and that he loves us, the fear and anxiety that so easily distracts is replaced with the peace and contentment that God’s unfailing love provides.
Day 2
Scripture: Galatians 6:4-5
The Comparison Trap
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” These words sound like a Bible verse, but they were spoken by Theodore Roosevelt, who grew from a sickly child to the President of the United States, along with being one of the most adventurous characters in history.
The Bible contains the same warning about comparison. Comparison breeds discontentment and fosters insecurity. And, unlike those living in Roosevelt’s day, we all carry around a comparison machine—our smartphones.
We are created by God with unique skills and abilities, and we have different experiences that God uses to shape us. By falling into the trap of comparison, we can distract ourselves so much that we fail to appreciate how our differences are full of purpose. The rare combination of skills, experiences, and resources that make us all different can work together to create beauty in a broken world.
The way to escape the trap of comparison is by focusing on your individual journey and God-given purpose. As you celebrate your uniqueness in Christ, you’ll find freedom from comparison and contentment in his plan for your life.
Day 3
Scripture: Matthew 7:3-5
The Trap of Cynicism
Cynicism is a distrust of others that is rooted in the idea that others are motivated only by self-interest. A cynical person struggles to believe the best of others and can develop a grumbly perspective that taints even the best circumstances. Cynics are usually close-minded and obsessed with negatives. A cynical perspective robs themselves and the people close to them of hope and faith.
Keep in mind, cynicism and skepticism are not the same thing. While cynicism is rooted in negativity, skepticism is rooted in a more positive perspective. Skepticism seeks to keep an open mind while raising challenging questions, motivated by curiosity and a desire to learn more. The Bible teaches that God does not want us to just believe without thinking carefully. He calls us to be wise, careful thinkers—to be healthy skeptics of the world around us.
When we think carefully, we realize the trap of cynicism can keep us from reflecting God’s light and peace to others. We also recognize that we can cultivate a spirit of empathy and compassion toward others by being aware of our own faults and shortcomings. So, let’s not allow the trap of cynicism to get in the way of our ability to extend grace and understanding to others so we can bring light and hope into our relationships and interactions.
Day 4
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-26
The Apathy Trap
We are bombarded with bad news every day, with headlines and social media posts that make us aware of every single tragedy happening near and far. We can grow numb to the needs around us, but this can inadvertently harm ourselves and those around us
Compassion fatigue, which happens when we are overwhelmed by the relentlessness of the needs surrounding us, can lead to apathy—indifference toward the needs of others. The lack of emotional connection that develops when apathy and compassion fatigue creep in can lead us to isolate ourselves and stop using our skills and resources to serve others.
Apathy prevents us from seeing needs and gets in the way of us doing something to help. Instead, we must choose to pursue a life of purpose and passion. The Bible is full of verses calling us to be actively involved in showing God’s grace and love to others.
Instead of getting bogged down by everything happening in the world, think about the issues God wired you to feel a burden for—the race he’s called you to run. How has he uniquely created you to help? This enables us to feel deeply about the pain which is so prevalent in our world while still allowing God to use us to bring healing and peace to others. Don’t give up!
Day 5
Scripture: Psalms 139:14
The Insecurity Trap
Everyone has insecurities. If you don’t think so, the trap of insecurity has blinded you to reality. Even the people who seem the most confident have insecurities; they’ve just learned how to deal with those insecurities well (or how to hide them).
But no matter what influencers, entrepreneurs, or motivational speakers say, no amount of positive self-talk or self-love will heal the deep pain and longing that is in each of us. Only seeing ourselves as God sees us can save us from our insecurities.
Insecurity undermines our sense of identity and worth. While we can mask that insecurity with achievement, money, relationships, and a myriad other temporary things, those masks do not deal with the root cause of insecurity—we are broken and messy, and desperately in need of saving grace that only comes from our creator.
Let’s escape the trap of insecurity by embracing the truth of our identity as fearfully and wonderfully made by God. As we anchor our worth in him, may we find freedom from insecurity and confidence in his perfect love for us, allowing his truth to define our sense of self.