In this 6-day devotional, designed specially for kids between the ages of 8–12, readers will explore how true courage comes from trusting God—even when life feels scary, uncertain, or unfair. Kids will learn how to face fear, make wise choices, and live boldly with God by their side.
ABS Armed Services Ministry
Day 1
Scriptures: Joshua 1:9, Joshua 11:23, Psalms 27:1, Matthew 28:20, Ephesians 6:10
But What If?
I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 (CEV)
Sometimes the what-ifs attack us. What if no one likes me? What if my parent gets hurt? What if I try and everyone sees me fail?
Kids have to face a lot of what-ifs. But you also get to see a powerful God take care of you! He can turn the what-ifs into amazing things: What if you meet your new best friend? What if your parent does something great? What if you try playing tuba and end up performing well in concerts?
The Bible tells the story of Joshua. He was the kind of man who viewed the what-ifs through God’s eyes. Others were saying things like, “What if we lose the battle?” Still, Joshua charged ahead yelling, “God has given us the land!”
In today’s Bible reading, God puts Joshua in charge of the nation of Israel and sends him into enemy territory. God commands Joshua to ignore the what-ifs. “Be strong! Be brave!” God says.
You don’t have to feel brave to be brave. We can conquer our feelings and act in brave ways when God is nudging, pushing, telling, commanding us to step forward.
So, tell those negative what-if feelings to hush. Tell them the Lord is with you and will help you. Then go be brave!
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
Doodle any of the words from today’s verse that stand out to you in a journal or on some paper. As you do, ask the Lord to help to make you strong and brave.
PRAY
God, I can get pretty worried about all the what-ifs. But you are powerful, so I can be brave.
Day 2
Scriptures: Exodus 14:13-14, Exodus 14:24-25, Psalms 46:9-10, John 10:10, Galatians 4:7
Staring at Waves
But Moses answered, “Don’t be afraid! Be brave, and you will see the Lord save you today. These Egyptians will never bother you again. The Lord will fight for you, and you won’t have to do a thing.”
Exodus 14:13–14 (CEV)
Ever feel like you’re stuck in the middle of a big sea? Is there something you have to get through, but all you see are big waves keeping you down? Maybe figuring out who you are, or algebra? Are you starting to lose hope?
That’s where the Israelites found themselves. God’s people had just been miraculously set free from slavery to Egyptian rule. People who had never known freedom were unchained and given supplies and gifts. They praised God in the open land!
But when they camped beside the sea, the Egyptian army came to capture them again. Racing horses, fast chariots, and angry men thundered toward the babies, grandparents, and families. There was nowhere to run for safety, nowhere to hide.
And that’s when God did a miracle!
As Moses could find no way through, he turned to God. The Lord promised to fight for them. God told them to step forward towards the churning waves of the sea—in faith. And God parted the waters and made a safe, dry road for them to walk to safety and freedom.
So, what do you have to get through? Is God telling you to be brave and step forward? You can step out knowing that God will always make a way for you. He is for you!
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
Copy today’s Scripture passage in a journal or on some paper and pray about what the words mean and what God is telling you through them.
PRAY
God, I don’t see any way around this sea of mine, and it feels like an army is coming. Please make a way for me!
Day 3
Scriptures: 1 Samuel 25:32-33, Leviticus 19:18, Joshua 1:7-8, Matthew 5:9, Romans 12:17-19
The Brave Peacemaker
David told her: I praise the Lord God of Israel! He must have sent you to meet me today. And you should also be praised. Your good sense kept me from taking revenge and killing innocent people.
1 Samuel 25:32–33 (CEV)
One person said something, and then the other person got mad and yelled back an insult, and now all your friends are fighting. Ugh! It takes bravery to be a peacemaker—or someone who brings peace into the world around them. And one brave peacemaker in the Bible is named Abigail.
Abigail and her husband owned a large farm and had lots of people working for them. Things had been going well because a warrior named David and his men had been protecting them from invaders and thieves.
But, one day, when David and his men were hungry, they asked the farmer for food. The farmer insulted them, sending them back empty-handed. David was so angry that he was ready to kill.
Thankfully, Abigail stepped in. She sent loads of food and apologized. David accepted her gift and stopped himself before he did a terrible thing. He also thanked God for sending Abigail to stop the conflict!
When there are arguments, the brave peacemaker will ask God for wisdom about what to do. They will go out of their way to make things right—even if that means asking for forgiveness and forgiving others.
We need more brave peacemakers. Will you be one?
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
How have you been a peacemaker among your friends and in what areas do you need God’s help? Journal about it! As you do, pray to God, asking him to help you be a peacemaker in all you do.
PRAY
Lord, make me a peacemaker. I need your wisdom to help bring peace where there’s conflict.
Day 4
Scriptures: Ezekiel 36:26-27, Psalms 51:10, Jeremiah 24:7, Matthew 22:36-38, Hebrews 8:10
The Heart Swap
I will take away your stubborn heart and give you a new heart and a desire to be faithful. You will have only pure thoughts, because I will put my Spirit in you and make you eager to obey my laws and teachings.
Ezekiel 36:26–27 (CEV)
Is someone making your life miserable? Maybe a bully or maybe even someone you love but just can’t seem to get along with? Do you just wish it could all change?
You have a taste, then, of what a man named Ezekiel was going through. He was a prophet—someone who carries messages from God to people. His people, the Israelites, were in rebellion against God, doing whatever they pleased. They had rejected the warnings of earlier prophets, and now everyone was being punished.
Ezekiel must have felt despair and hopelessness, thinking people will never change.
But God spoke to Ezekiel and showed him things of heaven, of God, and of the future. And God gave many hopeful promises to Ezekiel, including today’s verse.
We also get to experience the change God tells Ezekiel about. With Jesus’s help, people can receive a brand new heart and completely change. It’s the great heart swap! That bully, or that stubborn person, or even your own rebellious heart can turn in a new direction when Jesus comes in.
Don’t underestimate the power of faithful prayer for God to draw people near to him and change their hearts. When the hardest heart asks Jesus to come in, amazing things happen.
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
Who do you want to see change? Ask God to change them and give you courage to tell them about Jesus. Look at your heart, too. Are there areas that you could use God’s help to change? Talk to him about it. He is always there to help you.
PRAY
Lord Jesus, thank you for giving us the hope of change. Because of you, we can be made new!
Day 5
Scriptures: 1 Samuel 15:22, 1 Samuel 15:23, Psalms 40:6, John 6:38, John 14:23-24
How to Please God
“Tell me,” Samuel said. “Does the Lord really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn’t want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey him.”
1 Samuel 15:22 (CEV)
What would make God happy? Make a million bucks when you grow up and give it all to him? Build a super beautiful church? Work in a poor country helping people all your life?
Actually, God wants something simpler: he wants you to obey him. That means no rolling your eyes at your parents, or fighting with your brother, or being selfish with your friends. Obeying God means living out his kindness and goodness in all areas of your life.
King Saul, in today’s Bible story, learned that lesson the hard way. God told him to fight against an enemy nation and not take anything the people owned. But when Saul and his warriors saw the good sheep and cattle, they said they would give them to the Lord. Sort of sounds like a good idea, but that was not what God wanted. Because they disobeyed, God’s messenger Samuel, told King Saul that God would no longer be with him and he would no longer be king.
Our focus needs to be on obeying God’s words to us more than giving him big gifts. We need to read God’s Word so we know what to do. We need to make godly choices every day. When we slip up, thankfully, we can ask for forgiveness and keep trying our best to obey God.
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
Check up: How are you doing on obeying God’s commands? Whatever you’re struggling with, talk to God about it. Ask him for forgiveness for the times you’ve messed up, and ask him to help you be strong in the future! He will!
PRAY
God, please forgive me for the many times I don’t obey. Help me to do what you ask.
Day 6
Scriptures: 2 Chronicles 16:9, 1 Chronicles 16:11-12, Psalms 118:5, Proverbs 3:5-6, Philippians 4:6
Turning to God First
The Lord is constantly watching everyone, and he gives strength to those who faithfully obey him. But you have done a foolish thing, and your kingdom will never be at peace again.
2 Chronicles 16:9 (CEV)
You badly want friends, so you do whatever they are doing, even if it’s wrong. You’re getting bad grades, so you figure out how to cheat without your parents finding out. You feel guilty and awful about yourself, so you eat too much or too little, or watch too much TV, or hide out in your room all alone—anything to quit feeling sad.
Too many times, when we find ourselves weak and vulnerable, we look to all kinds of things or people for help, even if we know they are wrong or can’t make things better. We just want the problem to be over.
This is what happened to King Asa. For decades he did the right thing— following God and trusting him. He had seen God’s mighty power help his army demolish invading forces many times bigger than them.
But when another king stirred up trouble for Judah, Asa didn’t pray. He didn’t look to God for help. Instead, he decided to fix things himself. He took his money and God’s treasures from the temple and used them to pay off an ally to fight his enemies. While this helped him win that battle, his kingdom was always at war with others. This was the consequence he paid for not following God.
It’s important to always trust God and turn to him first. We can learn from King Asa’s mistake. Will you trust God to help you with the things you are going through right now?
SPIRITUAL FITNESS TRAINING
Heart check time! What are you currently struggling with, and need to trust God for? Take some time today to be honest with God. He is trustworthy!
PRAY
God, I get in worse trouble when I try to fix things without you. Help me to trust you.