GROW UP!

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." - 1 Corinthians 13:11

When a new year arrives, many people make resolutions.  Most of these resolutions revolve around health and exercise.  While these resolutions are made with good intentions, they are usually not followed up with much diligence or discipline.

There is an issue that really should stir us at the beginning of a new year.  Are we better people now than we were one year ago?  If you are a Christian, perhaps you should ask yourself, am I living closer to the Lord than I did this time last year? 

The fact is that all of us are growing older, but few are actually getting more mature.  Maturity is a reflection of personal and spiritual growth.  Pastor James MacDonald once said, "You are only young once, but you can be immature for a lifetime."

My job is not to measure your maturity level, but to carefully examine my own.  I suggest you examine your own growth.

I used to think that spiritual maturity was based upon how well I understood the Scriptures.  I do believe that a good understanding of the Bible is important; it is also possible to understand Bible doctrine and still be immature.

Maturity is manifest in your behavior.  Spiritual maturity isn't based upon how much of the Bible you've read, but how well you apply what you've read.  For instance, how you treat others, especially enemies, can be a good gauge of maturity.  Your response to trouble, trials, or temptations also shows a degree of your maturity.  The bottom line is that your maturity level is not marked by the opinions of others, or even your own opinion, but by the degree that the fruit of the Spirit is displayed through your life.  Your goal is not be the best person at church, work or the community.  The goal is to be more like Jesus.  Considering that standard, how well are you doing?  I must confess, I am not doing as well as I should.  I have a long ways to go.  2018 would be a wonderful time to make great strides in this area.

Have you ever met an adult and thought to yourself, he (or she) needs to grow up!  I have.  Looking at my own spiritual progress, perhaps I need to tell myself to grow up!

If you are like me, you are not satisfied with your spiritual maturity either.  If that is the case, let me challenge both of us to focus on three things in the year to come.

1.  FIGHT YOUR FLESH

First, we need to fight our flesh.  The flesh refers to the sin nature that resides within.  There is a constant battle that needs to be fought.  The flesh will stands in the way of our spiritual progress.  Looking back at 2017, I must confess that there were times I responded to adversity in the flesh rather than in the Spirit.  The worst foe I have is the man I see in the mirror each day.  It is a daily battle to fight my flesh.  Pride can be so strong.  It is easy to be selfish.  The Apostle Paul knew what it was like to fight the flesh.  Romans chapter 7 captures his fight.  He admitted that often he did things he didn't want to and, at other times, didn't do the things he should.  It was a constant battle.  For Paul, it was often a losing battle.  I can identify with that.  Yet Paul finally understood that you don't fight the flesh on your own.  You must fight the flesh in the power of the Holy Spirit.  The flesh is stronger than my willpower, but the flesh is not stronger than the Spirit.  I cannot grow in my faith while living in the flesh.

2.  FACE YOUR FEARS

Secondly, we need to face our fears.  The Bible says that God has not given us the spirit of fear.  I must confess that there have been times I've lived more by fear than by faith.  Courage is not the absence of fear, but doing what is right in spite of fear.  In hindsight, I must ask myself, what more could I have gotten done in the past if I hadn't allowed fear to hold me back?  That is a question you should ask as well.  Christians often allow fear to keep them from doing the will of God.  Fear hinders believers from sharing their faith openly and frequently.  Fear often keeps Christians from practicing radical obedience to God.  Fear is a foe that arises any time spiritual opportunities come our way.  Here's the problem with fear.  Fear is actually unbelief.  We fear the future because we can't trust God to keep His promises.  That leads us to the third thing we need to do this year.

3.  FEED YOUR FAITH

The more you feed your faith, the more your fears will starve.  Feed your faith by reading, studying, memorizing and obeying God's Word.  Feed your faith by hearing God's Word proclaimed at church each week.  Feed your faith by spending time with those who have strong faith.  Feed your faith by reading powerful spiritual books and listening to Christ-centered music.  Take God at His Word & see what He will do. 

If God blesses me to see the end of 2018, I don't want to look back with regret, what about you?  Fight your flesh.  Face your fears.  Feed your faith. 

I think all of us have some growing up to do!