A Message for Doubting Hearts

This passage is paramount for those who have ever doubted their faith. If you’ve ever lain awake at night wondering, “Am I really saved? Did God truly call me? What if I’m deceiving myself?”—these verses speak directly to your weary soul. Peter isn’t questioning the security of your salvation; he’s addressing something equally important: your assurance of salvation, your internal confidence and peace regarding the relationship you have with Christ.

Here’s the beautiful truth: when God calls someone to Himself, He promises a secure salvation and gives the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of that promise (Ephesians 1:13-14). Your salvation doesn’t depend on your feelings or your ability to maintain perfect certainty. God’s faithfulness secures what He has begun (Philippians 1:6). But Peter understands that believers need more than objective security—we need subjective assurance, the settled peace that comes from seeing God’s transforming work in our lives.

Making Your Calling Sure

When Peter says to “make your call and election sure,” he’s not suggesting we earn our salvation or prove ourselves worthy to God. Rather, he’s inviting us to prove to ourselves that we were indeed called and chosen by God (Romans 8:29-30). How do we gain this assurance of salvation? By diligently pursuing the qualities we explored in our previous devotional on verses 5-7—virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love.

As you see your life beginning to blossom with the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), something wonderful happens: internal assurance grows. You’re not manufacturing evidence to convince a skeptical God; you’re discovering evidence that confirms what God has already done in your heart. The transformed life becomes its own testimony. When you notice increasing desire for God’s Word, growing hatred of sin, deepening love for other believers, and persistent faith despite trials, these are not the badges you earned—they’re the birthmarks that prove you’ve been born again. (For further study on the Fruits of the Spirit, see my series here: Fruits of the Spirit)

The Promise: You Will Never Stumble

Peter makes an extraordinary promise: “if you do these things you will never stumble.” This doesn’t mean sinless perfection or a life without failure. Rather, it means you won’t stumble into the kind of fear and doubt that paralyzes your faith and robs your joy. The believer who diligently pursues godly character isn’t guaranteed a trouble-free life, but is guaranteed assurance of salvation that anchors the soul when storms come (Hebrews 6:19).

Think about it: when you’re actively growing in virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love, doubts about your salvation lose their power. It’s hard to question whether God has called you when you’re experiencing His transforming work daily. It’s difficult to fear you’re not chosen when you see evidence of His Spirit producing fruit in your life. The diligent pursuit of godliness becomes both the means and the evidence of genuine faith (James 2:18).

The Reward: Abundant Entrance

But Peter doesn’t stop with assurance in this life. He points us to the glorious culmination: “an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Not only will we live a life full of assurance and peace regarding our eternal salvation, but we will also be gifted a fruitful, full, rich, and abundant reward in the everlasting Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 3:12-15).

These words exude joy, promise, and hope. “Abundantly” paints a picture not of barely making it through heaven’s gates, but of entering with confidence, laden with the fruits of faithful service. God doesn’t just save us and then grudgingly let us into heaven; He richly and generously welcomes us home. Our faithful God who began the good work in us will celebrate its completion, rewarding not our perfection but our perseverance, not our flawlessness but our faithfulness (Matthew 25:21).

God’s Faithfulness, Our Confidence

These verses are a balm for the believer’s weary soul. They remind us that assurance of salvation isn’t found in perfect theology, flawless performance, or unwavering emotions. Assurance grows as we see God’s work in our lives—the evidence of His calling, the fruit of His Spirit, the transformation of our character. God is faithful, and our eternal home will be filled with bountiful blessings, joy, and peace (Revelation 21:3-4).

If you’re struggling with doubts today, don’t despair. Instead, diligently pursue the qualities Peter outlined. As you do, you’ll discover that the very act of pursuing godliness confirms what your heart needs to know: God has called you, chosen you, and will surely bring you home. Your salvation is secure in Christ’s finished work (John 10:28-29). Your assurance grows as you see His ongoing work in your life. And your future is certain—an abundant entrance into His everlasting kingdom awaits.

Reflection Questions

1. Have you struggled with doubts about your salvation? How does understanding the difference between God’s objective security and your subjective assurance bring comfort?
2. As you reflect on the godly qualities in verses 5-7, what evidence do you see of God’s transforming work in your life? How does this evidence strengthen your assurance of salvation?
3. What would change in your daily life if you truly believed that an “abundant entrance” into Christ’s kingdom awaits you? How does this hope affect your present struggles?
4. Are there specific fears or doubts that keep you from experiencing peace about your salvation? How can diligently pursuing godly character help silence those doubts?

Prayer

Consider how God’s faithfulness secures your salvation and how your spiritual growth confirms His work in your life. Thank Him for both the security and the assurance He provides.