"you can do this by adding goodness"

It has taken me a few days to unpack the next part of this verse.

I am all about measuring goodness.  Am I good enough?  Was that good enough?  Are my kids good enough?  Ugh.  It can drain me.

Over the years, I have learned (and tried to put into practise) that the only way I can ever be "good enough" is to keep my eyes and heart focused on Jesus.  Not on other people or the things the world points to as measures of goodness or success.

It is still a struggle though for me at times.

So I wasn't really sure what to say about this part of the verse. 

 How can I focus on goodness without getting caught up in measuring my worth by it?

Then this morning, I came across this quote by John Wesley:

Do all the good you can

by all the means you can

in all the ways you can

for all the people you can

at all the times you can

for as long as you can.

In other words, ask to be a simple conduit of God's goodness; allowing His goodness to flow through me at all times.  It's not something I can do or add to my life except through God.

growing

Yesterday I posted some "words to live by".

One of the quotes, I have decided to make my year's verse.

Here it is:

Do your best to grow your faith.

You can do this by adding

goodness, understanding, self-control, patience,

devotion to God and concern for others.

This will make your life useful and meaningful.

                                                                         2 Peter 1:5-8

Wow.  Do I ever LOVE this verse.

Over the next while I'd like to spend some time, meditating on it and thinking of ways that I can really apply it to my life.

So here goes.

"Do my best to improve my faith"

Just like I try to "improve" my health or tackle a project with excellence, so I must also be diligent and active about strengthening my faith. 

How can I do this?

- reading and memorizing God's word

as Colossians 3:16 says;
Let the message of  Christ, in all it's richness
dwell in me richly

-asking Him to lead me throughout my day

-listen for and obey His voice (even if it seems crazy!)

-thank Him daily for all my blessings

-trust Him daily for all my needs

-journal His faithfulness, keep a record and review it when I need reminders
of faithful Jesus has been to me