Written By: Chad Coons | Director of CSALT U.S.
Photo By: Johnny Zhang

I started surfing at a young age. It was the joy of riding a wave, progressing, and spending time with my friends that kept me coming back. As I moved into middle school and high school, I found myself becoming focused on things like sponsors, competitions, and recognition. I began placing my identity in those things and, in a way, made them my motivation.

As I was reflecting on this devotion, I realized this is a powerful analogy for our faith. When I’m having the most fun surfing, it’s usually because I’ve been brought back to why I first fell in love with it. In our walk with the Lord, that initial joy is often found when we first receive the Gospel. Yet it’s so easy to begin adding auxiliary things to our faith and, over time, misplace our identity. That identity may become our works, our accomplishments, our role, or even who we know—the list goes on.

God desires for us to live gospel-centered lives, with our daily bread being what He did for us on the cross.

My encouragement to you is this: reflect on where your identity is placed. Have you moved on from what first made you fall in love with Jesus?

My prayer is that we would recenter our faith, as the psalmist says in Psalm 51:12: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain me with a willing spirit.”