For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. – (2 Peter 1:5-8, NIV)
Because you have these blessings, do all you can to add to your life these things: to your faith add goodness; to your goodness add knowledge; to your knowledge add self-control; to your self-control add patience; to your patience add devotion to God; to your devotion add kindness toward your brothers and sisters in Christ, and to this kindness add love. If all these things are in you and growing, you will never fail to be useful to God. You will produce the kind of fruit that should come from your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. – (2 Peter 1:5-8, ERV)
So don’t lose a minute in building on what you’ve been given, complementing your basic faith with good character, spiritual understanding, alert discipline, passionate patience, reverent wonder, warm friendliness, and generous love, each dimension fitting into and developing the others. With these qualities active and growing in your lives, no grass will grow under your feet, no day will pass without its reward as you mature in your experience of our Master Jesus. – (2 Peter 1:5-8, MSG)
The more we seek and are intentional to pursue the heart of God, the more we increase in the things that are valued by Him. Faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, patience, devotion, kindness and love are some of the attributes that God grows in us as we rely on Him to lead us. We are most effective in all that God has for us as we grow and mature in the things of Him. This is not something that we can simply try to do better, but rather He grows us in these things as we seek Him and choose to love God and love those around us. Faith is a spiritual muscle, the more we use it, the greater it grows. Our faith leads us to depend on God more and more, which transforms our hearts to more clearly reflect His own. Such a heart is one of good character, is granted spiritual understanding, is disciplined, patient, and ever in awe of our Creator. He cultivates kindness within us, which leads us to love deeply. May we ever pursue the Lord and all that He has for us, so that we may be affective in sharing His goodness and love wherever we go and with whomever we encounter.
The Lord is faithful,
each time that we seek;
His love, it grows us,
and grants us His peace.
Our hearts are transformed,
in all that is good;
His love reflected,
His heart understood.
Our faith in the Lord,
a gift that’s bestowed;
for it multiplies,
and in Him, we grow.
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we seek You, You grow our faith and the attributes that most clearly reflect Your heart to the world. Thank You that we cannot simply will ourselves to grow, but rather we cannot help but grow the more we spend time in Your presence. Forgive us for the times that we neglect to rely on You. Teach us to turn to You in trust in all things and at all times. Show us how to love those around us best, for Your heart is for us all. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we invest time with You each day, for we come to know more of You and in You alone, we grow. Amen.
© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present
Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches. – Matthew 13:32
Revelations In Writing 