February 23, 2026
Daily Devotional:
“The Tranquilizer”
1 John 3:20
"For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things."
We are often our own harshest critics. You know that quiet, nagging voice; the one that brings up a mistake from three years ago or whispers that you aren't"spiritual" enough because you struggled with the same temptation again. When our hearts condemn us, it feels like a final verdict. We assume that if we feel guilty, God must be even more disappointed.
But John offers a beautiful, counterintuitive truth; God is greater than our feelings. Our hearts are fickle. They are influenced by exhaustion, past trauma, and even a bad mood. God, however, is constant. He doesn't just see your momentary failure; He "knows all things." He knows your frame, He knows your intent, and He knows the finished work of Christ on your behalf.When your heart says, "You’ve messed up too much," God says, "I know exactly what you did, and I have already covered it." Divine omniscience isn’t a threat; it’s a comfort. It means there is nothing about you that can surprise God or push Him away.
Feelings aren't facts, just because you feel unforgiven doesn't mean you are unforgiven.Put your trust in the greater judge because if the Creator of the universe has cleared your name, your heart doesn't have the authority to overturn the ruling. Let's begin to rest fully in His knowledge. You don't have to explain yourself to God. He already knows and He loves you anyway.
1 John 3:20 is the "Christian's tranquilizer." It tells us that when our feelings say we are rejected, we should look at the cross and the character of God, which say we are accepted. God’s objective truth is always bigger than our subjective feelings.
