Focus

Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today.

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Read

2 Peter 1:1-11 (NRSV)

Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have received a faith as precious as ours through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature. For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For anyone who lacks these things is short-sighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

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Reflect

I once knew a man who was angry and upset most of the time. Some people called him a chronic complainer. I was afraid that he would work himself into a heart attack. I don’t think he saw this negative behavior in himself. At times we allow something to overtake our lives for so long that it becomes part of who we are. Or, let me say, we have been behaving in a dysfunctional manner for so long that it becomes normal to us.

None of us is perfect, but many of us could take a lesson from the man mentioned above and review our behaviors, and the way people react to us. Maybe we don’t think that some things others say about us are true, but if you truly want to improve your life, take a good look at yourself. Just reflect for a moment about an area in your life that may need some repair work. Pray and ask God to show you your shortcomings. Peter knew that we needed self-control and perseverance, and we shouldn’t be short sighted. With God helping us, we have to work to be the best that we can be.

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Pray

Thank you, God, for loving us despite our shortcomings. We ask that you reveal to us through the Holy Spirit the areas of our lives in which we need to improve. Give us the strength to see ourselves as we really are. Help us to grow into beautiful reflections of you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Go with God.