Post #7: Growth in His Power
So here we are, grinding through this life, day by day. The best word I can come up with, is "striving."
We all want to be better, do more, etc.
Somehow I end up short of my expectations more often than not. My performance wasn't as good as I'd wanted...my attitude towards my children was less than stelar...my time was prioritized all wrong and I didn't get things done...I made a poor choice and stumbled, sinned.
Do you ever feel like the striving is too much? I have to ask myself if I'm tapping into the correct source of strength. This is such an important question.
Remember the analogy that Jesus gave us of the vine and the branch (see previous post as well)? We are the branches. He said we can do nothing on our own apart from Him. A branch not connected to the vine is dead.
If you've given your life to God, then you are completely saved.
Don't stop there. God doesn't intend for you to stay. He wants to help grow you up. To be like Him.
God's wants to transform you. He wants to renew your mind (Romans 12:1-2).
Salvation is a free gift by God's grace - you can't earn it or work hard enough, or do enough good for it. And it is instant. When you believe, you are saved, and there is nothing you can do to earn that on your own (we've discussed this a lot, and see previous posts).
Transformation takes time and... (I hate this part)...effort.
Dallas Willard said this: "Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning." Let that sink in for a minute.
Effort does not save us, but it does propel us forward
So I read 2 Peter 1:2-10. Read it a couple times.
May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. 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. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.
His Power has given me all things needed for life. This "life" Peter speaks of is not the basic sense of the word that simply defines being alive, i.e. existing. Rather, I see it as a bursting forth of all things good. Like the Idaho mountains in April after a harsh winter. Like the Selway river in June. Creation in all its glory, as God intended it to be, type of life. Real and abundant type of life.
His Power. Not my own.
Yet at the same time he asks us to add to our faith a rather daunting list of character traits:
Virture (high moral character)
Knowledge
Self-Control
Steadfastness (unwavering endurance)
Godliness (conformed to God's character)
Brotherly kindness
Love
These things will keep you from being unfruitful.
Confirm the fact that God has called you to know Him
If you do these, you will never fall. That's a pretty bold statement.
So, does that mean more striving for what I cannot seemingly reach??? Just work harder? Or is it just smarter - with a different mindset about what God wants of me. He is after my heart - to transform me more into His image. Remember the start of the passage.
His power...has given me all that I need for life and godliness.
Okay so that is good news right? It's not just about me working harder all alone. I get His power to tap into. But I have to stay tapped in to the vine. Every day.
What are some practical things you can do in your life, or ways you can see to partner with God to increase these 7 qualities? I hope we can continue to
join with each other and help each other in this journey.
Great post Leroy.
ReplyDeleteHere are some ways we can partner with God to cultivate those seven qualities:
1. Virtue: Regularly reflect on your choices and motivations. Prayerfully ask God to reveal areas where He wants you to grow in integrity and purity of heart.
2. Knowledge: Read the Bible, even if it’s just a few verses a day. Seek to understand God more deeply, not just through scripture, but through discussions with other believers, books, or bro meetups with you guys.
3. Self-Control: Identify specific areas where you feel out of control—whether it's in thoughts, habits, or reactions—and pray for God to give you the strength to make intentional changes. Negative thoughts about Guard leadership? Small disciplines can build into greater strength over time.
4. Steadfastness (Endurance): When challenges arise, resist the temptation to give up. Hold on to the hope that God is using your trials to strengthen your faith, even when you don’t see immediate results.
5. Godliness: Intentionally model your daily life after Christ. Start small, with acts of kindness or moments of quiet prayer. Over time, your character will start reflecting His.
6. Brotherly Kindness: Make an effort to serve others, especially in small ways that require you to put their needs above your own. Build meaningful connections with those around you, listening and showing genuine care.
7. Love: Practice putting the needs of your family and others above your own, even when it’s difficult or inconvenient.
You’re right—it’s not about just working harder in your own strength. It’s about learning to lean on God’s strength, staying connected to Him daily, and allowing Him to work through you as you put in the effort. Thanks for the though provoking post Leroy.
Leroy and Fulcrum those are really inspiring words! I had to read this a few times and let it sink in the last couple days. The constant battle to do better in life can be overwhelming at times and exhausting frankly. Self control might be the most challenging for me personally. I think of that as discipline. In other words not taking the path of least resistance or the easy way out. It’s easier to mindlessly sit on my phone or to watch something on Netflix than it is to concentrate on those 7 character traits.
DeleteSo for me… and as you mentioned it takes time and effort .. but I undoubtedly need to be more disciplined in my devotion to these character traits and to Jesus. Yes there’s zero doubt in my mind and heart that Jesus was sent from God to save the world. Because I believe in Him I will be saved but I want to do better- and by that I want to be a better person. The beauty of this in my mind is that the closer I become to Jesus the easier it is to fulfill these traits… and hopefully become a better person.
Finally… the knowledge part that Peter discusses- The Bible no doubt is incredibly powerful in bringing me closer to Jesus but frankly our group has helped me so much in gaining knowledge of the Bible. The accountability that it holds me to keeps me engaged at times when I may not have been otherwise. So thanks again for sending messages like this!