Maturity

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

James 1:2-8 The Message


Last weekend, we wrapped up a series on suffering at City on a Hill Church. The passage above reminds me of the goal we should be focused on the midst of our trials: maturity. The Greek word is teleios. Imagine a full grown tree that is producing fruit in the right season. It has reached maturity and its full potential. That's the kind of maturity that God wants us working towards.

But we can't ever really get there, can we?

We're not really talking about perfection (ie, sinlessness). We're simply talking about getting to where God wants us to be with regard to fulfilling His purposes and plans for our lives. As followers of Christ, we always seem to be in some stage of this process. The trials and difficult circumstances we experience in life have a way of speeding up this process. We can also experience seasons when the process seems to go very slowly.

To God, our journey is just as important as the destination. Wisdom is what we should be asking for in our grief and suffering. God is our source of wisdom in the midst of the uncertainties. He's our lifeline when we find ourselves tossed around in the seas of turmoil. Our hearts need to turn to Him, and Him alone, in these difficult times so we can find refuge.