Everybody who travels away from home and loved ones experiences a recurrent thought, ‘I am so looking forward to going home!’  And that should be every Christian's longing too.  This world is not our real home (1 Peter 1:1).  Here, we are travellers on the move, but one day we will go ‘home’ (heaven) to be with our Father.  Those who are true believers cannot have their eyes glued to this world with its shabby values and widespread corruption, when the glories of a brand-new heaven and earth make everything else pale into insignificance.
 
One of the wonderful 'things' about our eternal home is that it is also the home of righteousness.  It is a place in which everything that is right and true and lovely has no competition from the shameful deceits of the world, flesh and devil.  It will be an environment where God’s reign is uncontested, and where He sees that everything is good, just like His original creation (Genesis 1:31). But what a contrast from this world. The challenge is how to get ready for a perfect lifestyle, and do we really want it?
 
If that is our desire, then we need to start living as we intend to continue for all eternity. The words, 'spotless', 'blameless' and 'at peace with God' are huge absolutes.  Until we get to heaven we will not attain perfection; but if that is what motivates the longing of our hearts, then we will put every effort into living that way (Colossians 1:10).  This is no place for the half-hearted, the casual, or the careless; such attitudes are not worthy of the Lord at all, nor do they show much evidence of any eagerness to meet the Lord.

So Peter says, "make every effort" ... and he means just that.  If we have eternal life then we must put every bit of our will, effort, skill and resources into being the sort of people that God has called us to be (Mark 12:30). The failures can be confessed and forgiven, but what will He say to those who are not even bothered to try (Matthew 25:28-30)?