“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness, knowledge, and to knowledge, self-control, and to self-control, perseverance, and to perseverance, godliness, and to godliness, brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).
God wants us to continually and decisively seek spiritual maturity. This is not just for our benefit, but to be better equipped to serve well and build up the church. Consider it an ongoing, open invitation to be a participant in God’s kingdom work today and each day thereafter.
Will we accept or decline His invitation?
We should ask ourselves each morning, “TODAY, will I accept God’s invitation to grow in my faith and serve Him, or will I decline?”
Anything other than, “yes, I accept,” is a decline.
And a decline is the same as saying to our Almighty God – “No, Lord, I decline Your invitation to strengthen my faith and participate in Your kingdom work today, to love and serve others, to share Your love and mercy, Your message of salvation. No, I don’t want to. I’m too busy. There are things I want to accomplish for myself today. I will not.”
Saying yes but choosing no throughout the day is an ultimate decline.
Ignoring the invitation (La, la, la – I’m busy) is a passive decline.
Pretending to have not received the invitation is a lie AND a decline. (ouch)
It’s not complicated. No theological discussion needed. Simply, Yes or No this day. “Lord, I accept Your invitation, or no, Lord, I decline.”
Lord, please forgive our selfish leanings. Help us to form a mindset that places You and Your kingdom’s work at the forefront of our minds, at the top of our priority list each day. Give us strength according to our burdens and challenges. Give us discernment and compassion. Equip us well to serve with excellence. For all this, we give You praise. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
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