Summer of Depth Devotional Day 10
Today is July 8th, 2026, and it’s Day 10 of our Summer of Depth Devotional and Reading Plan.
As you enter into this time with God take a moment to slow your heart and become aware of His presence. The God who loves you, knows you, cares for you, and sees more than what is obvious on the surface is with you right now. Consider praying this as you open His Word: Lord, speak to me, reveal what you want to heal, and to help me notice what I might normally rush past.
Now, let’s dive deep into His Word together.
Before anything else, slow down and read: Mark 2:1–12.
Imagine being in that house. The room is packed with people pressing in from every direction just to hear Jesus teach. Then suddenly, dirt starts falling from the ceiling. Before long, daylight breaks through the roof, and four strangers begin lowering a man right into the middle of the room. It’s bold, disruptive, honestly seems a little rude and definitely a little awkward for everyone in the room…They quite literally “raised the roof,” but not in the good kind of way.
Most of us probably would have looked at the man and immediately known the problem and why he was brought there. He’s paralyzed. He obviously wants to be healed and thinks Jesus can help. But Jesus sees something else. He sees a chance to slow down, and go deeper. So he does. His first words are not about the man’s legs. They are about his heart.
Verse 5 says, “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’”
This doesn’t mean Jesus didn’t care about his physical suffering. He absolutely did. By the end of the story, in a total mic drop moment, the man walks home carrying the very mat that once carried him. But Jesus knew there was something even more important to address first. Sometimes the thing bringing us to Jesus is not the thing He wants to begin healing first.
Sit with that for a minute. How often do your prayers begin by asking God to change circumstances, while God is quietly doing something deeper inside your soul? This can be formative, this can be revealing. This can be uncomfortable, it can even be convicting.
On this side of Jesus’ death and resurrection, it’s easy for many of us to understand that are sins are forgiven, but imagine how the man felt with his need for forgiveness being called out like that in front of the crowd. So don’t be surprised if you feel the tug from the Holy Spirit that something needs to change…not to earn his grace, but because his forgiveness calls you to something better.
Ultimately, no matter what, this is incredibly freeing, because it means Jesus is not just interested in getting you through the day. He is interested in making us whole.
Prayer this today:
Jesus, thank You for seeing more than what is obvious. You know the places that are visible, and You know the places I have learned to hide. As I walk with You today, give me the courage to let You work beneath the surface. Do not only change my circumstances. Change and transform my soul. Amen.
