Is there anything you would love to get better at? Exercise, a new skill, musical instrument, a sport, eating well, sleeping? These are the kind of things people say they are motivated to improve. Yet, without the matching commitment called discipline, motivations can’t become actions, so we do not improve.

If it is true people learning guitar struggle with discipline, how true is it for people wanting to grow in faith? After telling readers that God has given us all we need to live a life for him, 2 Peter says,

“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, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:5-8)

Through God’s power, we can make effort to be effective and productive in our faith. We can grow in our knowledge of God through the Scriptures. Grow our faith in God through our prayer and daily walking with the Spirit. Our relationships form us as we love and serve one another, especially when it is hard or costly. There are things we can do, every day to grow as followers of Jesus. The big question is, do we?

To grow in faith, our motivation must be matched with discipline. Effective and productive Christian life will move from desire, to discipline, to habit, forming our character, becoming our joy.

Do you struggle with the discipline required in faith, and life? Here are suggestions to strengthen taking the next steps. Walk with others – together we help each other follow through on our motivations. Start small – listening to daily Bible App devotions maybe an easier start than reading the whole bible in a year. Make it daily – daily habits stick better than tracking occasional times each week. Be accountable with a mentor, leader, close friend. Tell them what you want to achieve, and how you will do it. Serve to grow – if you had to teach someone else what you are learning, you are more likely to follow through.

In Him,

Jason

Photo by Austin Henckel on Unsplash