Faith Supplements
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2 Peter 1:5-8
Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I was pretty sure when I woke up this morning what the topic of my devotion would be! Monday was a busy day at our house, as we had some early morning appointments and activities that precluded me from even spending time in the Word. Okay, that’s not really the case. We did have the appointments and activities -- I made a conscious decision not to post a devotion! While I’m being completely honest -- I just plain didn’t take the time or make the effort yesterday! Wow. They say confession is good for the soul. I think I just feel ashamed.
Of course there was no question I would spend time in scripture this morning! I’m still “waiting on God” for some direction in several areas of my life -- one would think that is all the more reason to be intentional about spending time with Him, wouldn’t one? Peter tells us that even when we “have faith” we cannot neglect it, nor should we think it’s okay to “take a pass” whenever we don’t feel like feeding our faith. He instructs, us, rather to continually improve and increase our faith and how we live it out.
Our task is to strive for the perfection of Christ. Not that we will ever achieve that perfection -- but we are to strive for it nonetheless. We are to feed our faith a constant diet of “faith-rich” activities and actions. Pray. Read scripture. Meditate. Go out into the world and spread the Good News. Not just when we ‘feel like it.’ Not just when we ‘have time.’ Always. Continuously. Strive to reach the ‘next level.’
“Make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
My prayer today is that you make every effort to supplement your faith. And that you are effective and fruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Mary
