Make Every Effort

I recently read this passage in 2 Peter:

5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue  with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with  godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 

A question from the study book I was going through asked, “What godly characteristic do you need to be pursuing, and how will you do so?” I had already been convicted of how I had dropped the ball when it comes to healthy eating, so “self-control” stood out to me. Verse 5 says “make every effort.” I had to confess I wasn’t making much effort at all. First Peter 1:3 says that God “has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness,” so making better choices about food is something that I can do. I started by repenting of my laziness. And then I went to my family and asked for their forgiveness, since I am the shopper and fixer of most meals for us, for letting them down. I asked my daughter to make a sign to help us remember, which is the picture accompanying this post.

Have I followed this perfectly since that day? No. Some weeks have gone well, and there have been several days of dropping the ball again. All I know to do, is start again. I decided to make this a regular series on the blog for some accountability, and also to encourage others who may struggle in the same way. I hope to share ways we are making small changes and trying new things to take better care of ourselves. I’d love to hear what is working for you!