Daily Devotionals

Bride and Gloom Week 1: Friday

Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14

When we think about who to spend time around, especially when looking for a spouse, the question, "What kind of people are we looking for" is essential to answer. One of the most important things we must look for is someone walking in the same direction as us. We must look for someone who loves God and shares the values most important to us, especially regarding our faith. The people we spend time with profoundly impact us, so we must choose wisely who we spend our time around. 

The apostle Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 6, "Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?" (verse 14). The unspoken answer to Paul's two questions in this verse is that righteousness cannot partner with wickedness, and light cannot live with darkness. A thriving, Godly marriage is grounded in two people fully committed to Christ. For single people, finding someone fully dedicated to Christ is our main focus over all else. If you are married, and your spouse is not currently following Christ this it is a call to pray! Pray for your spouse and for God to continue working in their life. If both you and your spouse have thriving relationships with God, then it is a call to pray and ask God to continue to work in your lives individually and together so that you can honor Him through the lives you lead. For everyone, this is a call to evaluate the friends who influence you regularly and make sure you surround yourself with those who point you to Christ.

Choosing who to spend the rest of your life with is an important decision that must not be taken lightly. We must decide carefully and thoughtfully and look for the people we share important values with. When we do, God's light shines through in a dark world that needs His light.

Moving toward action

Take a few moments to think about the people God has placed in your life. Who points you to Christ and encourages you to grow in your faith? Write their names down in your notebook or journal and pray for them. Pray for any needs you know they have, and pray that God will give them strength and comfort through all the challenges they are facing now. Thank God that He has placed these people in your life. Finally, commit to spending more time around these people who influence you to grow deeper in your relationship with Christ. 

Going Deeper

2 Corinthians 6:1-18 (NLT)

"As God's partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God's kindness and then ignore it. 2 For God says,

"At just the right time, I heard you.
On the day of salvation, I helped you."

Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation.

3 We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. 4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6 We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. 7 We faithfully preach the truth. God's power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. 8 We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 9 We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. 10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

11 Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. 12 There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us. 13 I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!

14 Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 16 And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:

"I will live in them
and walk among them.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don't touch their filthy things,
and I will welcome you.
18 And I will be your Father,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty."