Move Forward with Confidence

“His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of Him Who called us by iHs own glory and goodness. Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” – 1 Peter 1:3-4

The Bible reveals that God left no detail to chance when He decided to create human beings. The precision and perfection of our body’s systems are without equal: our circulatory, digestive, immune, and muscular systems are all designed to sustain our life. Yet His care for us goes beyond the formation of our body. When God created the first humans, He gave them a beautiful garden, companionship, and a purpose. Rather than withdrawing from the world after its creation, God remained involved. Even after Adam and Eve sinned and had to be banished from the Garden of Eden, the Lord did not abandon them…and He has never abandoned us.

Today, we encounter all kinds of pressures in our society. We’re living in unprecedented times…which bring unparalleled tension. Family pressure. Time pressure. Financial pressure. Pressure to compete and succeed by our culture’s standards: at work, in school, in our community, and maybe even in our church. As believers in Christ, we are encountering pressures in our world that we have never had to face before. It all can cause us to wonder at times if God sees us in our situation…and if He is really with us in the midst of it.

Recently, I’ve been encouraged by a particular passage of Scripture, 2 Peter 1:3–11, that reveals God is not only with us in the midst of our crises but that He has actually provided us with everything we need to handle whatever life throws our way. This passage is one that I’ve known all my born again life. I’ve studied it and taught it for years. But in recent days, when I have been feeling under pressure, it has provided fresh air in my spiritual lungs. I have found that inhaling God’s promises from this passage forces me to exhale the pressures of the world.

Let’s follow the trail of logic found in this passage to understand how God’s divine power gives us everything we need…not half, or most, or even a lot; to live a life of godliness. Here’s the 8 character traits we need, that God has provided to move us from where we are to where He wants us to be.:

Diligence: pursuing the Lord with all your heart

Virtue: the sustaining joy of a God-pleasing life

Knowledge: the accelerated growth that comes from knowing God

Self-control: the skill of bringing your habits under the Holy Spirit’s control

Perseverance: the resilience that casts off discouragement

Godliness: the mirror-image of Christ in your personality

Brotherly kindness: friendliness that draws people to yourself and to Jesus

Love: the essence of serving God and others

These eight qualities are indispensable for our life as believers in Christ. They are like critical tools that God, the ultimate “Trail Master” has given us to direct us along this long trail that we call life. These tools will guide us. They will empower us. They will help us move forward and not lose sight of our goal. They will nourish and sustain us when the pressures mount around us. And they are all available to us at any time!

Life’s pressures won’t get easier. But the promise is that we can move forward in confidence when we realize God has given us everything we need.