2 Pet1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; KJV
ADD GODLINESS TO PATIENCE
Godliness is to have reverence for God. Another term similar to it is piety.It is simply a conformity to his righteous demands on our day-to-day living. Most times, our definition of godliness is tied to physical appearance only but that is just part of it but not the whole. Years back, I use to think godliness is all about looks not until I met a man who "looked" like a Christian but wasn't. I traveled to Plateau state for the very first time in my life in 2010. When I got to the park, there was no vehicle to convey me to my destination except a cab. Everywhere was dark and deserted because of the incessant religious crisis. A curfew was imposed on the metropolis of Jos. I boarded the only cab at the park and I got talking to the cab driver after dropping other commuters at their bus stops.
I began to share the burden on my heart with him especially my displeasure about the killing of Christians on the Plateau. I talked for several minutes without a reply. He was focused on the steering but I didn't know where he was driving me to because that was my first time in Jos. Something nudged me to ask if he was a Christian. When I asked, he said "No". I froze on my seat because I didn't know I was talking to a moslem. But why did I engage him in that sensitive discussion in the first place? I thought he was a Christian because of his looks. I was wrong. Godliness is not in looks only. It is a state of the heart that translate into Christ-like living.
Godliness is not a gift, it is something that can be cultivated and pursued. 1 Timothy 6:11 says to “pursue godliness,” to follow after it, which clearly indicates it won’t just happen upon us. It won’t “find us.” We must make the choice to actively pursue it. Paul said, "But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and EXERCISE THYSELF RATHER UNTO GODLINESS", 1 Timothy 4:7 KJV. You can exercise yourself unto godliness by following the dictates of the word and Spirit per time. That's how to be godly.
Father, I receive the grace to exercise myself unto godliness in Jesus name.