How bad do you want it?
I Peter 2:1-3
By: Ysrael De la Cruz
Today is officially the beginning of a new year. At the beginning of every year people tend to make resolutions; pledges or plans they would like to achieve. These are things they have been thinking about but have never been able to accomplish. People talk about quitting smoking, losing weight they gained during the holidays, eating healthier, travel more, taking on a new hobby, working on their relationship, etc. How many of us would include in our list growing in our faith?
Why is it that resolutions are so easy to make but so hard to keep? by the end of January some people already have given up on their plans? Sometimes it is lack of commitment or passion, not enough motivation,
I think it’s because they didn’t want it to bad. You have to want something as if your life depended on it. For example, people stayed in long lines on black Friday because they wanted to get the new Xbox, the 65 inch TV, latest smart phone. They sacrificed their bodies, time, they don’t care how cold it may be. They stay in line because they truly want the deal so bad. This is how bad they truly want it.

As Christians, Why is it so hard for us to grow in our faith? To focus on the spiritual? Our relationship with Christ? The simple answer to this question is that we simply don’t care that much; we don’t want it that bad, as if our lives depended on it. Every relationship needs nurturing and doing nothing will not get you there.
Followers of Jesus are commanded to grow to the point of reaching maturity; such maturity is displayed in their service to God and their remaining steadfast in their beliefs.
Eph. 4:15 Grow up into Christ.
Colossians 1:10 Grow in the knowledge of God.
2 Peter 3:18 Continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But you must ask yourself, how bad do I really want to grow?

Michael Jordan was cut from the varsity team when he was a sophomore in high school. This motivated him to work hard on his game. He later on became the greatest basketball player on the NBA. This is how bad he wanted it.

How bad will you work on your relationship with God this year?
Peter wrote a letter to Christians to remind them about the calling to be set apart for God. To walk or behave in a manner worthy of the calling we have received from God. Through the gospel (good news) God is calling us to himself, calling us to a new hope, a new standard.

1 Pet.2:1-3
Chapter 2 is continuing what Peter talked about in chapter one. The word “therefore” is connecting what he said previously with what he will say next. Therefore (because of, so, thus, then) (I Pet.1:24-25….)
rid yourselves of all malice (meanness) and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander of every kind. How about these for a new year resolution? Mind you, Peter is writing to Christians exhorting them to get rid of these attitudes.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk (of the word NASB), so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Like a newborn baby craves milk, we are to crave the spiritual milk of God’s word so that by it, we may grow.
The Bible is to the Christian, what milk is to an infant. This is the food we must digest if we want to grow strong spiritually all the way to maturity.

A lot of Christians have lost the craving for the things of God, his Word. They are just content attending services, but don’t experience growth.
It’s never too late to start craving God’s word once again. You don’t have wait for things to change in your family, your home or church. You can do it anytime. No one else can do this for you; it’s something you either choose to do or not. How bad do you want to do this this year? That decision is yours alone. As babies crave milk, we are to crave God’s word, the Bible.

As Christians, we won’t grow in our relationship if we don’t crave his Word. Look at verse 2, so that we grow up into salvation. You cannot grow spiritually without digesting God’s word.
The Psalm writer cried out, as the deer pants for waters my soul pants for you of God. My soul thirsts for God. This is how bad he wanted God. Ps.42:1

Peter wrote to these Christians to challenged them to get rid of malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy and slander. He challenged them to grow in Christ; We too are being challenged to set aside those things which are not of God. We too are being challenged to grow in our salvation by digesting God’s word. You don’t have to wait for a new year to make this resolution, you can start today by making the commitment to grow in Christ, by craving spiritual food, God’s written word.

Whatever plans or resolutions you may have this year, your success is going to depend on how bad you truly want it. If you succeed in all your resolutions but fail or neglect your relationship with God. Then you are failing God for not investing in what truly matters. How bad do you truly want him?