For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:8
Success is something that everyone seeks. Stores are filled with books on how one can be successful in nearly every area of life. Following certain patterns or rules can often lead to some level of success in certain areas of life. While the world promotes all types of success, it will always leave a person empty on the inside, still desiring something more that is missing.
Right after giving a list of things to add to one’s faith, Peter says that if one has all those things and allow them to keep growing that person will not be unfruitful but will be successful in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
According to the world, success is measured in how much a person has or has done. It is compared with what others have done around the person. The more one has, the more one is considered to be successful.
Having every physical thing that a person could desire gives only a temporary joy and feeling of success. In the end it will leave a person empty and desiring more. Those things break down and fade away, leaving a person with nothing.
Rather than chasing after the physical things of this world, believers are to seek the things of God. Filling one’s life with virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness and love will do more than all the physical things of this world combined together. These give the believer what is needed to be successful in God’s kingdom, what is needed to obey God, serve God and build His kingdom.
Success in this way is eternal, not just a temporary one that the world offers.
The world is going to push you to grab on to the physical things to look successful. While those things look good, they are only temporary and will fail you in the end. Fill your life with the things of God. Build your faith in Him so that you will step out and do His work. As you add the things of God you will know the Lord Jesus Christ more and more and then be able to be fruitful and abound greatly in His work that will last for all eternity.
Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will know Jesus more and more; that you will abound in the things of God; that you will be successful in doing God’s work; and that you will be fruitful in know Jesus more and more.
Photo by Amanda Hortiz on Unsplash
Leave a Reply