The Mirror of the Word and other works by C.E. White can be purchased on her website, cewhitebooks.com or on Amazon.

“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self–control, and in your self–control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they do not make you useless nor unproductive in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

—2 Peter 1:5–8

Peter tells us to do these things after saying that God’s “divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). 

On the one hand, if God’s given us everything we need, we have no excuses. On the other, if this has been granted already, why must we do anything at all? 

For the same reason a child who has access to a fabulous education must study diligently if they want to move forward. 

The education is available, but if they don’t apply themselves, it will be meaningless in their lives.

Once we’ve confessed, repented, and believed in Christ, all we need for life and godliness is available. 

Now it’s time to study and apply it with diligence “in faith.”  Outside of Christ’s redemption, applying all these things will mean nothing; we won’t have the Holy Spirit to live them out.

But if, through Christ, we’re increasing in these qualities, we will not be “useless and unproductive in the kingdom of God.” 

So if we’re feeling useless and unproductive, perhaps we can look at this list to discern where we lack application and diligence in these characteristics.

We want to hear the Lord’s “well–done” when we come before him, so let’s commit ourselves, in faith, to diligence in all these things.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download