When my children were young, they gave me a wealth of material to use in illustrating truths from scripture. As they grew older, they left for college, got married, and started their own families. I wondered what I would do for stories now! Never fear, grandchildren are here!

While in Baton Rouge, one of the things Gaylon and I helped with was transporting kids to school early each morning. As I was driving one of my granddaughters to school, we were chatting about all kinds of things. We drove through a really nice neighborhood where I am sure the home prices were exorbitant.

My granddaughter began to talk about those homes and being rich. That was her goal some day. As she gave me her eleven-year-old opinion about money, I thought I would share my thoughts with her about not making the goal in life about money, a big house, name brand clothes, or rich friends. She listened but made me chuckle at what she said next. My granddaughter said, “Yeah, but grandparents never run out of money. They always give us gifts or money. They never run out of money.”

At eleven years old, my granddaughter had an immature mind about money and grandparents. We can all get a chuckle from that because she is just a child. However, when she reaches adulthood, we expect a more mature conversation about money and life. We expect growth to take place in her life.

If growth and maturity are expected in our children, why would we think it would be any different as God’s children? As believers, we should not be in the same place we were when we first believed. Growth and maturity are expected. Each of us has room to grow.

The Bible says it this way in one passage, “So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely, we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deedsand placing our faith in God.” – Hebrews 6:1 (NLT)

I could write pages on attributes of maturity, but I shall only look at a few examples. Hopefully, this will help each of us to ask, “Do I think as a spiritual child or a mature believer?”

1. We see that trials can bring growth even though they are painful. (Hate it? Me too!) If I must face problems and challenges in this life, then I do not want to waste them. I do pray for deliverance, but sometimes God brings me through something instead of out of it. I want to pause and let the Holy Spirit teach me to trust God and know that God is working in my behalf. What can I learn from this?
2. Prayer becomes much broader. We should feel the freedom to bring to God all of our personal cares and situations. Thanks be to God that I can bring everything to Him, but we should grow beyond praying for just our personal needs. I encourage you to take time to go through the prayer life of the Apostle Paul. Even in the midst of his pain and imprisonment, Paul prayed for an open door that he might share the Gospel. He was concerned that the lost would find Christ, that the Gospel was preached in power. He constantly peppered his prayers with thanksgiving. Do the study! It will teach you so much.
3. A teachable spirit is important in my life. Sometimes our immaturity rears its ugly head when a trusted believer points out our need for repentance or our need for growth in an area. I will always remember the time when my friend Vicki told me that I was gifted, but I was destroying the usefulness of that gifting by letting my past dictate my attitude. At first, she made me mad. Then, the Holy Spirit began to show me that He was speaking to me through her words. I want to always have a teachable spirit.
4. Habitual sins are fading. I have been walking with God for over fifty years. When Jesus found me, I had a foul mouth and hateful spirit. If fifty years later, I still have a foul mouth and hateful spirit, it shows a lack of growth in my spiritual life.
5. We quickly shake off ungodly things that try to attach themselves to us. There is a story in Acts twenty-eight that illustrates this beautifully. Paul was helping to gather sticks for a fire. As he reached down to pick up a stick, a snake attached itself to his hand. Paul did not spend the next hours talking about the snake, showing the snake to others, or playing around with the snake. Paul quickly shook the snake off as if to say, “No, you will not be a part of me.”  Paul had a snake handling ministry and so must we! Shake off a negative attitude. Shake off a gossiping tongue. Shake off offense. Shake off immorality. The snake (Satan) will try to attach to you. Do not allow it.

Growth should not be considered optional in a believer’s life. God has greater plans for our relationship with Him. To grow, we must have nourishment from God’s Word, and to become strong, we need the exercise of obedience. 

Spiritual maturity does not happen automatically as we grow older. Growth is not measured by a calendar or grey hairs. Spiritual growth is not instantaneous. Don’t compare yourself to someone else. God works in each individual. Some people grow rapidly, while others grow slowly, but steadily. Day by day, walk with Him, obey Him, worship Him. Spiritual growth is possible for every believer, and it can start today. Come grow with me!