The calendar flips, the clock resets, and once again we’re handed a clean page. A new year has a way of sobering a person up. It forces questions we can’t outrun forever:
Does my life matter? Am I actually making a difference? Will anything of eternal value remain when I’m gone?
Strip away the noise, and most people want the same two things:
- to live a life that matters, and
- to leave something behind that lasts.
In biblical language, that desire can be summed up in two words Peter uses: useful and fruitful.
Like cold water on a scorching summer day, purpose revives the soul. And like thirst ignored too long, a life without meaning dries a person out from the inside. You can have your physical needs met and still be spiritually hollow. When that happens, the fallout hits the mind and emotions hard—restlessness, frustration, bitterness, and quiet despair.
You see it everywhere:
- the bored student drifting without direction
- the burned-out professional climbing ladders that lean against the wrong wall
- the exhausted parent wondering if anyone notices the sacrifice
This emptiness isn’t limited to unbelievers chasing hollow philosophies. It can creep into the life of a Christian who stops pursuing obedience with diligence. When obedience fades, usefulness fades with it.
Peter writes his second letter to confront that very danger. His message is direct, practical, and perfectly suited for the start of a new year: God has already given you everything you need to live a life that matters—now you must act.
1. God Has Already Supplied What You Need
Peter introduces himself as “Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ.” That’s not accidental. He uses both his birth name and his redeemed name—the fisherman he was and the person Christ made him. Authority and humility, side by side.
Peter isn’t talking down to his readers. He says they share “a faith of the same kind as ours.” Same righteousness. Same grace. Same access to God.
Then comes the foundation:
“His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness…” (v.3)
Everything. Not most things. Not potential things. Everything.
This doesn’t lead to passivity—it demands responsibility. God provides the power, the promises, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. But power unused produces nothing.
When God’s provision is embraced:
- our relationships become more useful and fruitful
- our walk with God grows in godliness
God causes the growth, but He doesn’t excuse inactivity. Mature people don’t confuse dependence on God with spiritual laziness.
2. God’s Promises Fuel Obedient Living
Peter reminds us that we’ve been given “precious and magnificent promises.” These promises are not vague encouragements; they are weapons against corruption and motivation toward holiness.
Because of Christ:
- your sins are forgiven
- you’ve been adopted into God’s family
- the Spirit strengthens you
- God provides for your needs
- eternity is secure
These promises don’t excuse sin—they empower obedience. They allow us to escape the corruption of the world and increasingly reflect the character of Christ. What God declared true of us at salvation, He now works out in our daily lives through obedience.
Grace does not eliminate effort. Grace fuels it.
3. Obedience Is the Difference-Maker
Here’s where Peter gets unmistakably clear:
“Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence…” (v.5)
That phrase means to bring every effort. No drifting. No half-measures. No excuses.
Faith is the foundation—but faith must be built upon. Peter lists seven qualities that shape a useful and fruitful life:
- Moral Excellence – inner resolve to do what’s right even when standing alone
- Knowledge – an intimate, lived understanding of Christ through His Word
- Self-Control – refusing to be mastered by desires, habits, or distractions
- Perseverance – staying steady under pressure
- Godliness – reverence toward God expressed in service toward others
- Brotherly Kindness – real commitment to God’s people
- Love – sacrificial devotion that seeks the good of others
These aren’t traits you admire—they’re traits you train. Obedience is the bridge between provision and fruitfulness.
Peter says plainly: if these qualities are present and growing, you will not be useless or unfruitful. That’s the promise.
A New Year Decision
Not every believer lives this way. Some waste years focused on the temporary, neglecting what God has already supplied. They’re saved—but shallow. Secure—but ineffective.
Don’t be that person.
Peter closes with a call to diligence and a promise of reward. A life of obedience leads to a confident walk now and a rich welcome into Christ’s kingdom later.
This New Year:
- don’t chase resolutions—pursue obedience
- don’t aim for comfort—aim for fruitfulness
- don’t drift—decide
God has given you everything you need. Now step forward and live a life that matters.
With all diligence, do what it takes to get spiritually healthy: daily Bible reading.
With all diligence, do what it takes to get mentally and emotionally healthy: active participation in body life, one-on-one discipleship, Scripture memory, or counseling.
With all diligence, do what it takes to get physically healthy: eat better, eat less, and move more.
Make a plan and do it.
Let’s do it together.
Pastor Chris Williams
To learn more about Pastor Chris and his teachings, visit us online at fcfamily.org and be sure to subscribe to receive these weekly encouragements in your inbox.