Scripture — Romans 12:9–12 (KJV)

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.”

Focus

Following Jesus means learning to love what He loves and reject what pulls you away from Him.

Devotional

Paul gives a picture of what a genuine Christian life should look like.

It starts with sincere love.

Not fake kindness.

Not trying to look spiritual.

Not treating people well only when it benefits you.

Real love comes from a heart that has been changed by Jesus.

Then Paul says:

“Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.”

That is strong language.

We are not supposed to casually tolerate things that are pulling us away from God.

We are supposed to recognize them for what they are.

And at the same time, we are called to cling to what is good.

Cling to truth.

Cling to purity.

Cling to prayer.

Cling to godly friendships.

Cling to Scripture.

Cling to Jesus.

What you continually stay close to will eventually shape you.

Paul also tells us not to become lazy in what God has given us to do.

Serve Him with passion.

Work faithfully.

Love people.

Honor others.

And when life becomes difficult, do not give up.

Rejoice in hope.

Your present situation is not the end of your story.

Be patient in trouble.

Hard seasons do not mean God has abandoned you.

Keep praying.

Do not make prayer the last thing you do after everything else fails.

Make it part of the way you live.

There will always be things competing for your heart.

Some will draw you toward Jesus.

Others will slowly pull you away.

The question is not just, “What am I avoiding?”

It is also:

“What am I actively clinging to?”

Because Christianity is not simply removing bad things from your life.

It is replacing them with what is better.

And ultimately, what is better is Jesus Himself.

Reflection Questions

What is one thing in my life that is pulling me away from God?

What is one good thing I need to cling to more intentionally?

Prayer

Father, give me a sincere heart. Help me hate what is evil and cling tightly to what is good. Teach me to love people genuinely, serve You passionately, remain patient in difficult seasons, and stay faithful in prayer. Remove anything in my life that is slowly pulling my heart away from You, and help me become more like Jesus.

Today’s Challenge

Choose one thing to remove and one thing to strengthen today.

Remove something that has been distracting you from God.

Then strengthen something that draws you closer to Him—prayer, Scripture, worship, serving, or godly community.