The second batch of paperwork has been submitted!! In case you are curious, it was 70 pages. (Yes, I counted!) Next step: 3 interviews with our social worker. We are making progress!
When reading this passage last week, something about it struck me differently than ever before:
2 Peter 1:4-10
Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. 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. 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.
Let me re-write that in my own words:
God gave us the His Word, so that we can live in His Spirit. His Spirit allows us to escape the evil in the world. Since He filled us with His Spirit, we can add these things to our faith....with some work, of course...goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, affection, and love.
The verse is in a different point of view than I had originally thought. And it's a command. (You) make every effort to add to your faith. Really? I can do that? Faith is the gift, then we are responsible for cultivating the other qualities to add to it. I had always read these verses in the same context as the Fruit of the Spirit verses.
"And the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." These are the gifts that the Spirit cultivates in us.
Perhaps the Fruit are just the seeds planted in our hearts.
