A Disciplined Life - All Our Daily Bread Daily Devotionals for 2026

[Athletes] do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1 Corinthians 9:25

Today's Scripture
1 Corinthians 9:20-27

Today's Devotion
Tom Cruise has built his film career on a megawatt smile . . . and incredible stunts. The signature stunt in the seventh Mission: Impossible spy action film featured Cruise riding a motorcycle off a cliff and parachuting to safety.

In other Mission: Impossible films, he’s hung off an airplane, held his breath underwater for more than six minutes, and performed high-altitude jumps. We might call him crazy. But Cruise’s commitment—for the sake of telling the best cinematic story—is remarkable.

In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul identified another group whose training demanded everything of them: competitive athletes. He praised their discipline: “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training” (v. 25). He said they were compelled by temporal glory—“to get a crown that will not last”—while believers in Jesus are compelled by a calling with eternal value: “to get a crown that will last forever” (v. 25).

Are we as committed to our faith as a disciplined athlete—or a famous actor—might be? “Run in such a way as to get the prize,” Paul said (v. 24). Because of God’s grace, we will receive the crown of life as sons and daughters of the King. That changes everything about how we spend our days here.

Reflect & Pray
How do being saved by grace and living a disciplined life relate? How has God used disciplines to transform you?

Dear Father, thank You for sending Jesus to live and die on my behalf. Please help me live today as a response to that gift, offering everything fully to You.

Today's Insights
Paul’s commitment to sharing the good news of Jesus compelled him to live as the Jewish people lived when trying to reach them (1 Corinthians 9:20). But he put that aside to live like the gentiles when ministering to non-Jews (v. 19). In fact, he lived “like one not having the law” (v. 21). Yet he noted, “I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law” (v. 21)—the law of love. “I am not seeking my own good but the good of many,” the apostle said (10:33). Because of Christ’s great salvation, we, like the apostle, should live disciplined lives “for the sake of the gospel” (9:23).

Bible in a Year

Jeremiah 48-49

Hebrews 7
Adam R. Holz