Daily Devotional - Possibilities: The Garden of the Heart - Week 23 - Day 157 - 6/6/26 - "The Key's to a Godly Life"

Author: Evangelist Jamie Hoffman

“The Key’s to a Godly Life”
Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-8, NIV

“For this reason, 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.”
 
Devotion:
In today’s Scripture, Peter outlines seven keys to guide the Christian into leading a godly life. Peter instructs believers to “make every effort” to support their faith with these seven characteristics: goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. Faith is foundational to our salvation as born-again believers. Without faith, it is impossible to please God. Our faith is how we “spiritually see” Him because we walk by faith and not by sight.

The first key is goodness. God wants us to live a life of holiness that honors Him. The second key is knowledge. We have to study, pray, and seek God through His Word to gain a better understanding of His truth and will. The third key is self-control. As disciples, discipline is a must. God’s spirit and not the desires of our flesh must lead us. The fourth key is perseverance. We have to endure. We can’t give up when things get difficult. The fifth key is godliness. We must obey, follow, and reflect the goodness of our Father. The sixth key is mutual affection–we have to treat our brothers and sisters right. Finally, I don’t think it is coincidental that Peter makes love the last and final key. God is love. Therefore, you can’t live a godly life without His love in your heart. Peter ends by saying that if you possess these seven qualities in excess, they will keep you from being “ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Prayer:
Lord, help me exemplify faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and Your love. If You find anything that should not be, please purge and cleanse me. I want to grow daily in my knowledge of You. Amen.