Growing Into the Life God Calls Us To

In 2 Peter 1:5–8, the apostle Peter describes what spiritual growth looks like in the life of a believer:

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with perseverance, and perseverance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Peter presents faith not as something static but as something that grows and develops. Faith is the beginning, but it is meant to mature into a life marked by goodness, wisdom, discipline, perseverance, compassion, and ultimately love.

This passage can be especially meaningful for LGBTQ+ Christians. Many of us have been told—sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly—that who we are prevents us from living a faithful Christian life. Yet Peter’s description of spiritual growth says nothing about identity, orientation, or social expectations. Instead, he speaks about character and love.

The qualities Peter lists are accessible to anyone who seeks to live a life shaped by goodness and compassion. They grow from faith for believers, but the virtues themselves—kindness, perseverance, self-control, and love—are qualities that can be cultivated by anyone.

In fact, whether we are Christian, agnostic, follow another religion, or no religion at all, we still possess the capacity for love in our hearts and the ability to help others. Many people have turned away from religion because of painful experiences or because some who claim to follow God most strictly often seem to follow the spirit of love the least. That hypocrisy can be deeply discouraging. Yet the capacity for compassion and goodness remains within people regardless of belief. I believe that God instilled in all of humanity the potential for goodness, even if it is sometimes buried beneath the selfishness, greed, and hatred that human beings so often create.

Virtue means striving to live honorably and with integrity. Knowledge involves learning, reflection, and a deeper understanding of God and the world. Self-control and perseverance remind us that faith is lived day by day, often through difficult circumstances. Godliness shapes our lives toward compassion and humility. Mutual affection and love are the ultimate fruits of a life shaped by Christ.

Love, of course, stands at the center of it all. As Jesus taught, the greatest commandments are to love God and to love our neighbor (Matthew 22:37–39). When Peter ends this progression with love, he echoes that same truth: the goal of spiritual growth is not perfection, but love.

For many LGBTQ+ believers, the path of faith has included rejection, misunderstanding, or spiritual wounds. Yet even these painful experiences can become part of how God shapes us. As Paul writes in Romans 8:28, “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.” That does not mean every hardship is good, but it does mean God can bring growth and purpose out of our struggles.

Peter’s list also reminds us that faith is meant to express itself through kindness and compassion. James describes “pure religion” as caring for those who are vulnerable and living with integrity (James 1:27). A life that grows in love naturally becomes a life that looks outward toward others.

And as we grow, we are called to share the hope we have found. First Peter 3:15 encourages believers to “always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an account of the hope that is in you.” For LGBTQ+ Christians, that hope can be a powerful testimony: that God’s grace and love reach all people.

The beauty of Peter’s words is that growth is ongoing. None of us possesses all these qualities perfectly. They are meant to increase over time. Faith begins the journey, and love becomes its destination.

God is not finished with any of us. Each day we continue growing—adding patience, wisdom, kindness, and love to our lives. And as these qualities grow within us, our lives become a reflection of the grace, compassion, and humanity that we were all created to share.