How Do You Grow in Faith? | 2 Peter 1:5–7

Our text today is 2 Peter 1:5-7: For this very reason, 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. — 2 Peter 1:5-7 Peter has already told us that God's divine power has given believers everything needed for life and godliness. Now he tells us what to do with what God has given: Make every effort to grow. God supplies the power, but we must participate in the process. Peter is not suggesting that we earn salvation through hard work. Faith is the starting point, and Christ is the source of our new life. But genuine faith is not meant to be left undeveloped. By God's grace, it should increasingly produce seven qualities: virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. This kind of growth does not happen accidentally. Knowledge grows as we pay attention to God's Word. Self-control grows as we say no to desires that pull us away from Christ. Steadfastness grows as we keep obeying through difficulty. Brotherly affection and love grow as we choose to care for people even when doing so is inconvenient. I sometimes confuse trusting God's grace with waiting passively for him to change me. I want patience without the frustrating situation, self-control without denying myself, and love without having to deal with difficult people. But God often develops his character in me through the very choices I would rather avoid. Grace never removes effort. Grace makes godly effort possible. But you do not need to work on every item on this list of seven at once today. Look honestly at your life and identify the area in which growth is most needed. Then take one deliberate step. Perhaps you need knowledge, so you begin reading Scripture consistently. Maybe you need self-control, so you remove access to a recurring temptation. Possibly you need brotherly affection, so you contact someone you have neglected. Perhaps you need steadfastness, so you continue doing what is right even though you have not yet seen results. Spiritual maturity is usually built through small acts of faithful obedience repeated over time. God has given you what you need. Now make every effort to use it. DO THIS: Choose one quality from 2 Peter 1:5–7 that needs attention in your life. Write down one specific action that would help you practice that quality today, and complete it before the day ends. ASK THIS: Which quality in Peter's list is strongest in your life right now, and which needs the most growth? Where have you mistaken trusting God for passively waiting to change? What small act of obedience could help you develop Christlike character today? PRAY THIS: Jesus, give me the discipline to cooperate with your grace and take one faithful step toward Christlike character today. Amen. PLAY THIS: Build My Life