KEEP YOUR FOCUS

In 2 Peter 1: 3 - 11, Peter advises us that if we have increasing quantities of faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love, then our future will be made sure. Now that we know what we need, we must discover how to accomplish this increase. Often it is much easier to determine what we need than it is to understand how to get what we need.

One very important beginning point is to have the right focus. If there has been one lesson we have learned from the treatment of addiction, it has been the need for the addict to come to grips with the fact that they do have a problem which needs to be overcome. This is also an important first step to increasing the Christian Qualities Peter describes in Second Peter. We must realize that we can do better and desire to increase these qualities in our life. Having the right focus means changing something from just being a goal to something which is near the top of our priority list.

What do I mean? Most of us will agree that we could eat a much healthier diet. Imagine that a doctor came to you and told you that if you would follow a diet he has formulated, then you will be guaranteed to never be sick nor will you ever die. If you were able to verify that he was telling the truth, how important would eating according to that diet become to you? "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1: 10 - 11).

– Bryan Naugle