Someone in my generation (baby boomer) must have had a spirit of Peter Pan – because our mantra was to “never grow up, never grow up.’  Mick Jagger made being 30 a scary thing.  Because of serious health issues as a child – I never expected to live a long life.  Because of faulty theology – I thought Jesus was coming soon.  (Like before 1984).

Now I am 63 and 1/2 way through my expected 120 years  (see Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.)

So I am getting serious about being mature in a way that doesn’t gag me and a way that pleases God and a way my family can appreciate.  What does that really mean?

Here’s my ideas, see what you think.

As I go about my day I sometimes allow myself to feel rushed. When I allow my emotions or others to control me – it’s silly and immature. I need true breakthrough. Immaturity is to analyze the situation incorrectly, based on insufficient evidence. But faith is the evidence of things NOT seen and to judge the situation through the eyes of God and His Word.

This is when I need to be serious about maturity.  Go to God – get His sight, His vision, His perspective about what I am not seeing (money, time, house repairs, betrayals, etc.)

This is when I must remember all the Godly heroes of faith who allowed God to mature them through years of trials – Moses, Joseph, Jesus, Paul.  Maturing takes years.  And it takes looking back at past victories and learning from them.  It also must include looking honestly at stupid mistakes, selfish times, and things you wish you’d never done.  You must look at those times and ask yourself – why did I do what I did?  Without blaming anyone but yourself – for probably no one held a gun to your head to make you sin.

So these are my steps to maturity.

1.  Get quiet – allow the Lord to mature me gracefully and thankfully in whatever wilderness or prison I find myself.

2.  Spend only what our budget says is appropriate.  Forget the sales!  If we can’t afford it – I will rely on God to bring about another amazing sale for me if I need it.  Being a saver, investor, and giver is my goal.  Not being one with a well-decorated home,  the prettiest garden and giving great parties.

3.  Shut my mouth.  Shawta rebuked me yesterday in her darling way when I quoted a doctor about my condition.  Now Shawta is a nurse – a good one, but she was right – I was limiting God by my words.  Zip the lip and say only what God says.

4. Be focusing my eyes on what God says and does.  That will bring me into greater alignment with HIM and His plans for my life. God is in charge of maturing me.  It’s HIM I want to look like on that day.

5.  Be obedient to what God has already told me.  Jesus  learned obedience from the things which He suffered.  And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, Heb 5:8-9

6. Sing – praise – worship the God who daily gives me my battle plan, my grace to endure and to mature. It’s never been a penalty to spend time with Him anyway.

7.  Laugh a lot – life is too short not to enjoy every aspect of our time here.

Let me know if this is something you are searching for too.