There’s More to Maturing Than Growing Old

I may be a grown-up now but I don’t always act my age. That is, I don’t always act like I know Jesus, even a little bit.

I should know better—I grew up in the church. Still, on any given day, I can show more signs of a baby believer than one practically weaned on the Word. Yes, God loves me whatever age or stage I’m in—but His love doesn’t cancel out His desire for my spiritual progress. I’m grown up now—it’s time I grow something besides old.

In Ephesians 4:14, Paul writes: “No prolonged infancies among us, please. We’ll not tolerate babes in the woods, small children who are an easy mark for imposters. God wants us to grow up, to know the whole truth and tell it in love—like Christ in everything”(MSG).

What does it look like to grow up spiritually? To be like Christ in everything.

Years ago after expressing my frustration with my lack of spiritual maturity, a wise friend reflected on my outburst: “Sue, do you imagine you will someday reach a plateau where you no longer need to grow?” I understood what he meant—we shouldn’t expect perfection, this side of heaven. The important thing is to keep growing.

So how do we do that? Here are three lessons to keep in mind as we develop our spiritual maturity and cultivate Christlikeness this side of heaven:

Growing is a process—A mature believer stays in the race.

Growing is a partnership—A mature believer is dependent on God.

Growing is a privilege—A mature believer values her family ties.

GROWTH IS A PROCESS: A MATURE BELIEVER STAYS IN THE RACE

Currently, we’re in the middle of remodeling our kitchen—a project that my husband is doing himself. So far, we have an extra 1400 sq. ft., including an extra garage and bedroom I didn’t know we needed. The kitchen hasn’t been touched.

I have to remind myself we are in a process. The end result will be worth the wait and I’m confident that someday I will have a bigger kitchen—with or without the backsplash! The key is not to give up in the middle of the mess.

Our spiritual growth is a process—and it takes perseverance to stay there.

“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:1b-2, NIV).

Once, while in training for a half-marathon alongside a group of middle-aged ladies, our coach said bluntly, “I hate to burst your bubble, but none of us are actually going to win this race!” Ha! Of course, we weren’t going to win. We were just happy to get out of bed early on a Saturday morning and try not to pull a hamstring.

“Your goal,” she told us, “is not to win, but to finish.” That was a goal I could live with, no matter how hard the daily workout.

In our spiritual race, God doesn’t care about our end time, or how fast we run. He just wants us in the race—to finish and finish well.

Like infants meandering along the path, we may get distracted from time to time, but we need to stay the course, “fixing our eyes on Jesus” (Hebrews 12:2). Only then can we finish the race. Growing up means not giving up. We just keep going.

“Lord, help me keep my eyes on you. Some days I want to give up. Give me the strength to stay in the race and not worry about my time or about how others are running. Thank you and amen.”

GROWTH IS A PARTNERSHIP: A MATURE BELIEVER IS DEPENDENT ON GOD

Is it possible to grow into God’s idea of a strong, mature woman in my own strength? Of course not. God has high and purpose-filled expectations for me, but on my own, I’m weak, frail, and given to fits of petulance, self-pity, and pride—usually all in one day. In order to grow into His likeness—to be truly sanctified—the mature believer recognizes the need for partnership—a holy alliance with God and His community of believers.

And the more we mature, the sooner we recognize that truth.

As Paul writes in Philippians 2:12-13 “Therefore, my dear friends… continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (NIV).

My daily workout this side of heaven is ‘working out’ a perfect congruence between what I believe and how I behave. It takes effort, desire, and most of all, an awareness that I need God and other believers every step of the way.

Thankfully, it is God who instills in me that desire, passion, and will to obey—and the awareness that I have a lot of work left to do before I am fully mature.

When our eldest daughter Bonnie attended a leadership camp with several hundred other girls on the subject of state politics, it was a humbling experience. “These girls know so much more than I do,” she shared in our mid-week call. “I may be smart, but I’m learning I don’t know as much as I thought!”

Knowing her limits revealed a glimpse of her maturity. As mature believers, we too need the humility to recognize that we can’t do it alone.

Yet our helplessness is not a cause for despair or frustration. As a wise person once said, “Ministry is spillage.” We are connected to the Vine—the more connected we are, the more fruit our lives produce. Instead of trying to ride the do-it-all-ourselves bandwagon, God continually shows us our need for Him. He reminds us that we cannot become like Jesus without His supernatural empowerment—we must lean on Him. “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5b).