By: Fr. Greg
When someone comes to the point of saying to God, “Not may ways but Yours,” new worlds of possibilities begin to open up that could have never been realized when personal choices were limited to the circle of self-centeredness. New freedom for living emerges. The joy of thew Lord becomes our strength. New opportunities for service become evident, and we find new peace in living.
What
does it take to become “mature” as a Christian ?
If you were to ask a number of people that
question, you might get a number of different answers. Personally, I would say
that someone begins to become mature as a Christian when he or she realizes
that the ultimate purpose of life, for a Christian is not to find one’s destiny
in personal fulfillment, but to find one’s destiny to serve God. That
realization, and that decision to live for God and not for one’s self, is the
dividing point. All spiritual growth find both its beginning and its end in the
commitment to live for God and not for one’s self.
Someone may not know all that there is to know about the fine point of theology, or have a studied grasp of the Scriptures to come to this decision. In fact, one may have learned o lot of verses from the Bible, but if little or no effort is made learning how to serve God instead of one’s self, that knowledge of Scripture will be of little of practical use. Scriptural knowledge alone cannot free someone from a little of self-centeredness and spiritual immaturity. Someone can attended church for years and still be far more committed to serving themselves rather than God.
Someone may not know all that there is to know about the fine point of theology, or have a studied grasp of the Scriptures to come to this decision. In fact, one may have learned o lot of verses from the Bible, but if little or no effort is made learning how to serve God instead of one’s self, that knowledge of Scripture will be of little of practical use. Scriptural knowledge alone cannot free someone from a little of self-centeredness and spiritual immaturity. Someone can attended church for years and still be far more committed to serving themselves rather than God.
So
what brings about that movement from self-centeredness to God-centeredness ?
It is a mystery at best, but often God uses
a point of crisis in our lives. When the pressures of life, both inward and
outward, become too much for us, we are able to see that our own efforts at
self-mastery is not enough, and we cry out to God. At that point, when we cry
out to God, we are faced with a crucial decision; will we only ask God for
enough help to get us back on our feet again (to continue to live according old
ways), or are we so tired and disgusted with our old ways that we cry out to
God for a different way of life ? If in
the crisis we cry out to God for a different way of life ( rather than for just
enough intervention to get us out of a jam) miracles can begin to happen.
When someone comes to the point of saying to God, “Not may ways but Yours,” new worlds of possibilities begin to open up that could have never been realized when personal choices were limited to the circle of self-centeredness. New freedom for living emerges. The joy of thew Lord becomes our strength. New opportunities for service become evident, and we find new peace in living.
God hears the cry of our hearts when we
repent of our own idolatrous preoccupation with ourselves, and as God to teach
us how to live for Him. God will lead us like a Shepherd each step of the way
as we ask to be converted, and made into a people who serve Him.
What does it take to become a mature
Christian ? Only a heart that is willing to be changes and directed by God.
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