At the end of last year, we worked on the memory verse 2 Peter 1:5-8 (“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith, goodness…”). Hopefully these are verses you’ve come to know and love, and even memorize. These verses are part of a bigger theme in 2 Peter, and the very last line of 2 Peter summarizes this theme well–“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). The whole 2 Peter is about the idea of growing in grace.
So what does growing in grace mean, and why is it important?
First, when we grow in grace, we change. In January, the Life-Spring family fasted together to start the year. For me, fasting sugar and sugary snacks is a great way to fast. Sugar, especially chocolate, is a real weakness of mine! So exercising self control over my sweet tooth is a good fast for me. In January, I felt the push to grow in the grace of fasting. I decided to fast salty snacks as well, in addition to sugar. I also decided to grow in consistency in my time with God.
I had no idea how much these small changes–to grow in the grace of fasting, and consistency in my time with God–would change me! My relationship with God has definitely grown stronger and deeper through these simple decisions. Sometimes we don’t fully understand the effect that making every effort will have until we’ve actually begun to walk the journey.
Second, I notice that my relationships have changed. We often think that growing in God is mostly for our benefit, but we don’t realize how much it can actually change the people around us. Since beginning fasting, Theresa and I have had more and better conversations about God and faith. We’ve grown closer together, and a big part of that is because of fasting together and making every effort. We don’t often think that growing in grace will change our relationships, but it does.
Third, when we grow in grace, we confirm our call (2 Peter 1:10–“Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election.”) The word for “confirm” here is related to ideas like “to ground, to make sure, steadfast.” All of us are called, and some of us may have a strong sense of what that calling is. But in order for us to truly live out our call, we need to make it steadfast and ground it in things like self-control and godliness. We need to grow in the grace of our calling by growing in things like goodness, perseverance, self-control, and love.
Fourth, we make every effort so that we can be faithful during trials in our lives. This idea of being faithful during trials reminds me of Job. Job was a person who went through tremendous trials and struggled with God through them. But in the end, he still “spoke correctly” about God, and God honored him for that (Job 42:1-8). In order to be faithful to God during trials, we really need to grow in grace before our trials begin. We need to grow in the qualities that will sustain us during challenges–things like faith, hope, and love. If we grow in these things we’ll be surprised at how they come to life during struggles.
So grow in the grace of __. How will you fill in the blank? What is God calling you to grow in the grace of? Let’s make every effort to be obedient to God, and grow in these things.