Maturity

Today, I was looking on facebook at people’s statuses.  Several people commented on the fact that it is their child’s last day of school.  “Where has all the time went?” is a question that seems to be asked.   It is amazing how quickly we go from being babies, to children, then on to adults.  Growth and maturity is important in a life.  As a mother, I know that I couldn’t have gone on with my children being babies forever.  They had to grow, learn and mature or I would die of exhaustion.  All those sleepless nights!

God wants us to mature in our spirituality too.  We start off as babes in Christ, learning that God loves us and that his son, Jesus died for us.  I didn’t fully understand this, but as an eleven year old, I did understand the yearning and importance I felt to be one of God’s adopted children.  I was raised in church and a Christian home, and I listened, knew the Bible stories, and understood enough to want to be saved from myself.

Now, 33 years later, I am a bit more mature in my spiritual walk.  I am writing this devotion, doing whatever God leads me to do, and still trying to study.  I have matured, but I never feel that I know enough, or even anything.  When my kids come to me with strange questions, I still sometimes say “Go ask Marty or Michael.”  Not that I feel like a failure, but I do realize I am not always understanding of some things God teaches.  I also think that God sends us through times of testing that make us stronger.  Our family has been going through something for the better half of a year, and I think we are pulling together, relying on God, and teaching each other how to be more faithful to Him.  It has not been just one thing, it has been several.  So keep praying for us.

^{James 1:2} Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. ⁶ But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 

These verses from James 1, are some I rely on a lot.  There is a lot of meat.  I love verse 6.  When you ask God for something, believe that he will give it to you in some way.  I know that sometimes he will tell us know, or not right now, but that is okay.  He always knows what we need more so than I do.