It’s far easier to dwell on our flaws than to celebrate our strengths. In our nightly prayer and devotional, we reflect on the fact that many of us live with a critical inner voice that whispers, “You’re not enough unless you do more.”
But in Mark 1, we find a different message. At Jesus’ baptism, before He had performed miracles or preached to the crowds, God affirmed His identity: “You are my Son… with you I am well pleased.” God’s delight wasn’t rooted in Jesus’ accomplishments but in His identity and surrender to the Father’s will.
That same truth applies to us. Our worth is not defined by achievements, possessions, or even our good works. It rests in belonging to Christ. You are loved not because of what you produce but because of Whose you are.
When you’re tempted to measure your value by accomplishments or compare yourself to others, remember this: Your true identity is found in being a child of God. And in that, He is already well pleased.
Tonight’s Scripture: Mark 1:11 (NIV)
“You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
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🙏 Your Nightly Prayer
Dear Jesus,
It is hard not to measure myself by my accomplishments, appearance, or failures. Yet Your Word reminds me that my worth is rooted in being Your child, not in what I do. Help me to see myself as You see me, to rest in my identity as Yours, and to silence the lies of comparison and self-criticism. Thank You for delighting in me simply because I belong to You.
Amen.
🧘 Three Things to Meditate Upon
Write down three Bible verses about identity in Christ (such as Galatians 2:20 or Ephesians 2:10). Post them where you’ll see them daily and recite them out loud.
Make two lists: one of your earthly accomplishments and another of your eternal identity as a child of God. Which one is unshakable?
Listen to Colton Dixon’s song Identity. As you reflect on the lyrics, turn them into a personal prayer of gratitude to God.
📣 Calls to Action
📖 Take 5 minutes tomorrow morning to read Mark 1:1–11 and reflect on God’s words of delight.
📝 Begin an “identity in Christ” journal, writing truths that counter self-criticism with God’s Word.
📬 Sign up for our nightly devotional to continue receiving Scripture, encouragement, and prayer each evening.
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My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
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