Summer arrived. After the “YEARS” of COVID it seems, aren’t you glad? It seems like as the world opens back up again, we all rejoice together. While it could be very easy to be distracted by the plethora of things that we either could not do or have neglected to do over the past many months, we should all take this time to remind ourselves to continue to make every effort to becoming more like Christ. It could be very easy for us to lose focus and get distracted by all the other great things that we could do instead.

Be Diligent and Make Every Effort

When Peter wrote his letter to all who are in Christ, he stressed our sufficiency in Christ, which means that because of our relationship with Christ we have been given everything necessary for life and godliness. In the moment we were saved or forgiven from our sins and entered into a relationship with Christ, two things also happened. First, we became participants with the divine nature – meaning we now enjoy the union in Christ or being in Christ. Second, we escaped the power of the flesh – meaning we are no longer slaves to our sinful disposition. This is what he wrote:

…”as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:3-4)

We now have the ability to live for Jesus and grown into Christlikeness. We can honor Jesus Christ. This is great news.

Be Careful This Summer

That is the good news. Now, we must do our part to continue to be diligent and walk in Christ. Peter continues and says that we must both 1) be diligent to add, and 2) be even more diligent to make our call and election sure. In other words, God did his part when we were saved; now, we must be diligent to grow into Christ. If we do, the text promises we will never stumble.

What about summer then?

The danger lies in the fact that we could let this new freedom and excitement over our new situation getting past COVID to allow us to get distracted from our diligence to become more like Christ.

When we are not diligent, we become ineffective and unproductive for Christ. Therein, again, lies the danger. COVID has been tough enough. We cannot allow COVID to be even more destructive to us spiritually as the world opens back up again.

Let’s be diligent to make every effort my friends both today and throughout this week and summer! As Peter says, Make Every Effort!

 

Image Credit Massimo Sartirana

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