Abundant Grace & Peace

I began reading 2 Peter this morning and found something interesting. Peter says in verse 2:

"Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord."

So abundant grace and peace are ours through the knowledge of God and Jesus. That sounds simple enough. So why did this stand out to me?

Read verse 8:

"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."

If abundant grace and peace come through the knowledge of God and Jesus I certainly don't want to be ineffective in that. I want to know what these qualities are. Verses 5-7 hold the key:

"For this very 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."

I don't know about you but reading this list I am far away from qualifying for that abundance! Realizing my short coming, the question becomes what am I doing to move in this direction. As Andy Stanley says, "it is direction not intention that determines destination." (This is from his book "The Principle of the Path.")

I have Faith but what am I doing that is "good"? How am I adding "knowledge"? Do I exercise "self-control"? Am I "persevering"? Do I exhibit "godliness"? Am I showing "mutual affection"? Do I "love" others?

These are tough questions and even harder to accomplish but I must move forward. I must take steps. I must get on the path to abundant grace and peace.

Faith + Goodness + Knowledge + Self-control + Perseverance + Godliness + Mutual affection + Love = Abundant Grace and Peace