Friday: When God’s Warnings Are Ignored

Reading: 2 Chronicles 24:20 “Then the Spirit of God clothed Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest… ‘Thus says God, “Why do you break the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, he has forsaken you.”’”

Devotional: Even after Joash turned from God, the Lord didn’t immediately destroy him. Instead, He sent prophets. He sent warnings. He sent truth in love. Zechariah, the son of Joash’s longtime mentor Jehoiada, stands up—filled with the Spirit—and calls Joash and the people back to God. Joash’s response isn’t repentance. It’s violence. He has Zechariah stoned in the courtyard of the Lord’s house. The man whose father once saved Joash’s life is now murdered by the king he helped raise.

This is what crumbling faith often looks like: we don’t wake up one day and decide to hate God. We slowly harden our hearts against His correction. We start resenting conviction. We avoid hard sermons. We shut out godly voices that challenge our sin. Eventually, we see warnings not as mercy but as threats. Joash’s unwillingness to hear God’s rebuke led directly to his downfall. Not because God abandoned him quickly, but because Joash persistently rejected God’s call to return.

Reflection: Consider how God has tried to get your attention in the past: a message that hit close to home, a friend’s loving confrontation, a verse that wouldn’t stop following you, a sense of unease when you were walking down a wrong path. Those moments may have felt uncomfortable, but they were signs of God’s mercy. His warnings are invitations: “Come back. Don’t go further. There is still time.”

If we consistently silence those warnings, our hearts grow dull. We don’t feel conviction as sharply. We can sit under truth and remain unmoved. That’s a dangerous place to be. The story of Joash reminds us that ignoring God’s voice eventually leads to consequences we can’t control. Today, instead of resisting God’s correction, ask Him to soften your heart. Ask Him to make you grateful, not angry, when He confronts you.

Response: Think of one recent moment where you felt convicted or challenged (through Scripture, a sermon, a conversation, or a situation). Instead of pushing it away, revisit it with God. Pray: “Lord, I hear You. Show me where I need to change, and give me the courage to obey.” If a person confronted you in love, consider thanking them.

Song of the Day: Refiner - Maverick City Music (With Lyrics)