What does initiative really mean? When I think about initiative, I think about my habits and my goals. My habits (good or bad) will determine whether or not I can achieve my goals. When I have a clear goal then I can determine what good habits I need to add to my existing routine to achieve that that goal. For example, if I wanted to decrease my sprint times I might add jump training to my workout program. If I wanted to be more flexible I would add band/mobility exercises into my daily workouts. If I wanted to change my body composition I might add natural supplements to my diet. The point I’m trying to get across is that in order to ADD something, we must DO something.
This is true in our training and our health, but this also true in our walk with God.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 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.
To add something means that we must get into the habit of doing things better than we do now. Initially that is difficult, isn’t it. Creating good habits is hard and it takes time, sometimes longer than we are willing to wait! To take the initiative to create good habits is to make a beginning — to instruct yourself in the way you must go. Whether in the gym, on the field or in our spiritual life God will not give us good habits or character, and He will not force us to walk correctly before Him. We have to do that ourselves. Like creating good training habits, we have to “work out” our salvation which God has “worked in” us.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
So what should I do now, what good habits do I need to “add”? I’m going to assume that you have an idea of what you should do, God has likely placed that on your heart already. So take the initiative — don’t hesitate, just take the first step by seeking to know God better (read, pray, ask), instructing yourself and by challenging the “way things have always been.” Seek God with the goal of knowing Him better, not with the goal of finding answers. Knowing God better will lead to revelation (answers).
Whatever that first step is for you, be determined to act immediately in faith on what God reveals to you when He speaks and never reconsider or change your initial decisions. Take the initiative yourself, make a decision of your will right now, and make it impossible to go back. And remember, we have to take the initiative from where we are now, not from where we want to be.
My Prayer
Father, I want to get into the habit of carefully listening to you about everything. I want to know what your will is and I want to follow it. When I am in trouble or crisis, or I find myself doubting if I can do the things necessary to work out my salvation, help me to instinctively turn to you. When I seek you, let me seek you for who you are – to seek you in a way to know you better and not just to seek the answers you can give me.
Additional Readings:
Read 2 Peter 1
Read Philippians 2
Portions of this devotion were inspired by the daily devotions of My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers. Learn more about Oswald Chambers and get his daily devotions at https://utmost.org/