Every Friday I join a community of bloggers for Five Minute Friday. One word prompt, five minutes. Unedited. The prompt this week is …Effort.
Effort, by dictionary definition, is “something produced by exertion or trying.”
We put effort into many tasks and activities each day. We put effort into our work, diets, health, relationships, finances, and spirituality.
Each of these will only produce a good outcome by our exertion or trying. They do not occur by chance.
While salvation is freely given and instantaneous, growth or sanctification, comes by effort. We grow in Christ over the course of our lives.
So what are we to put effort into?
“Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” (Ephesians 4:3, NLT)
“In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone.” (2 Peter 1:5-7, NLT)
“Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14, NIV)
We are to make every effort to be united with others, keeping the peace, growing in godly qualities in our relationships, and to grow in holiness.
In other words,
we are to make every effort
to be more like Jesus.
A reminder to me to always remember to ask God for help and guidance. With His side, I will get through my daily efforts.
In all things, more like Jesus. Thank you, Joanne.
Amen! I love your quote: In other words, we are to make every effort to be more like Jesus. More of Jesus, less of me. 2 Peter was the verse I thought of this week also.