Diligence Required

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith. —2 Peter 1:5

The beginning of 2 Peter 1 provides great encouragement for Christians about what God has done for us. However, in verses 5–7, Peter also exhorts us about our responsibili- ties—the things that are our part in the Christian life. The key phrase in those verses is “make every effort,” or as the nasb translates it “applying all diligence.”

Diligence is a word I don’t like. To me, it means hardship, discipline, and struggle. Yet in any area of life where you want to succeed—including your faith—diligence is required.

A few years ago, I managed to gain about ten pounds in a short period of time because I wasn’t being diligent in the physical areas of my life. To lose the weight, I had to work hard over a longer period—a much more difficult process than gaining it in the first place!

If we want to have a spiritually fit life, we must practice even greater diligence. That’s a goal worth making every effort to achieve.