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24…MATURING IN THE LORD

Good morning! I was looking through the photos on my phone this morning and I came to a realization that made me chuckle. Pictures of my granddaughters and great nieces clearly showed how much and how quickly they were growing. But for the adults in the photos, we look the same. It’s as if we’re not aging at all. I like that thought even though I know it’s not true. lol. Physical growth is only one way we change daily. We grow or age with every passing day and as an adult, growth spurts are no longer as evident as they were when we were young.

This daily aging process is not the same thing as maturing in God’s eyes. No one becomes mature in their faith automatically with age. It takes intentional work on our part. Hebrews 5:12-14 says, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.”

Maturing in the Lord comes in stages just like we see in physical maturing. We have to spend time in God’s word to learn more about Him. As we learn, our obedience and practice of what we’ve learned grows us, matures us, in the Lord. It’s a day-to-day process where we are active participants. Often times, we mature quickest when we’ve gone through some kind of difficulty. During those times, we learn that we are inadequate to handle this life alone and as we reach out to the Lord, He helps us mature in faith. So using the analogy found in Hebrews, where are you in the food spectrum? Praying that we’ve all moved into solid food and we’re yearning for a steak.

God, help us grow spiritually with each passing day, maturing in You. Amen.