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. 2 Peter 1:8
The key to remaining strong in the Christian life is to grow just a tiny bit each day. We’re not even talking baby steps here, but barely noticeable steps. You don’t see progress over the days but you certainly do over the months and years.
Many people have the misconception about Alaska that there are 6 months of daylight and 6 months of darkness. Those who have lived there know the truth. In Fairbanks Alaska, we gained 6 minutes of daylight a day after December 22, Winter Solstice. After June 22, we lost 6 minutes of light a day. You really don’t notice 6 minutes a day in one direction or another. Go away for 3-4 months and it’s a very different scenario. Now it is three full hours more light or darkness. We didn’t notice it day by day, but we certainly did after being away for a few months.
Another example is this devotional. One a day. That’s it. On rare occasions I wrote 2-3 at a time if I knew that I might not be able to write or post that night. But one a day. Ten years later and there’s more than 3700 posts. But it’s only one per day.
This principle actually has applications in marketing, writing, sales, education, Scripture reading and memorization, and a whole lot more. The adage applies: a little a day goes a long way.
Faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. Increase one of these qualities a tiny bit every day, and it will affect the others. The inverse is also true: ignore these qualities, and you’ll grow stale and rusty. You’ll kick yourself at the end of the year because of all the potential you’ve wasted.