Nearsighted

II Pet. 1:5-10

 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness,  and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

My faith must be visible with virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. Unless these are mine and are increasing in my life, I am unfruitful and ineffective. In fact, whoever lacks these qualities is nearsighted, so much so that he is blind! He does not see the true condition of his own life. How powerful is self and sin that it blinds someone from seeing his or her true spiritual condition! What is the answer? I need to be all the more diligent to make my calling and election sure. I need to see fruit and growth in my life. I need to make sure my vision is clear and focused.  How does this fruit grow? It comes through the Holy Spirit applying the Word to my life, with my surrender and dependence on Him, and with my desire being only for Him not for me. What do I see? Am I looking for Jesus? Am I seeing the fruit that I should?

Father,

Make me fruitful and effective for You. Help me to have right vision so that I can see my own heart's condition. Help me to depend on You for all that I need.

In Jesus name,

Amen