Di Bassinga Diaries: Maturity

"Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)

To mature is to come to completion; it's typically the result of a process. It's actually a pretty flexible term. A financial bond comes to maturity when it's gone to the end of its term (a pre-decided time period). A fruit comes to maturity when it's ripe (usually signified by a color, texture, or tenderness). And a person is said to be mature when they show signs of understanding, coordination, emotional intelligence, and situational awareness. Maturity is used to describe the physical appearance of a person or the mentality of a person. It's often used in a spiritual sense as well, and this is definition of spiritual maturity that I heard and liked a lot: How yielded a person's heart is to God.

Maturity is usually something someone can see, it's something you can pin an image to. A college-aged man is clearly more physically mature than a toddler, but you can't always know how mentally or emotionally mature a person is just by looking at them. In the "internal" arenas—the mind, heart, and spirit—maturity is usually shown through words and actions. Since that's the case, it's often hard to tell just how mature someone is until they're put to a test; so it is with spiritual maturity. There are a few ways that this can play out: in the small decisions we make every instant, and in our resilience and integrity when tested for long or intense periods of time—these are the trials of various kinds that James is referring to.

This isn't to say that the daily decisions aren't important. As a matter of fact, the decisions we make in the little things, and especially when no one is looking, are great indicators of the level of our spiritual maturity, our "yield" to God. The thing is, the little decisions are made in circumstances where we have a great amount of control or, at least, where the circumstances aren't lethally burdensome. This is praying or reading the Word regularly, going to and being connected in church, prioritizing the Bible's counsel and direction over that of the flesh (basically obedience), and controlling our words, thoughts, and actions.

These are things that are relatively easy to do when things are "normal" or when they're well; and these things are solid markers of one's spiritual maturity. It's the "bare minimum test," and it's an important one to pass. I'm not condemning those who don't do these things regularly or who feel weak in their ability to do these things. But the reality is that, when circumstances aren't actively "against" us, these things should be constantly strong or growing stronger. And these are things that the Word is clear on, things that you can ask about and receive a solid answer fairly quickly. I believe that the greater test of maturity comes when things are going poorly. They come when there's death and destruction around us, when there's (seeming) separation from God or His favor, and when it seems like the world is crashing in on us and our prayers aren't being answered.

Job was put through one of these tests when he had his wealth and family taken from him. A man who was right in God's eyes suddenly has everything taken from him and no answers as to why it's happened. His friends tried to convince him that it was his fault, that he had to have sinned against God in some sense; but Job remained firm in the identity that was given to him by God. He was given a great opportunity to "crash out" or to turn to God and curse Him or to turn away from God completely. But he remained firm and grew in the process. I try to place myself in Job's shoes every once in a while and I ask, "Would I remain steadfast in relationship with God if I had everything takes from me, or if nothing seemed to go right?" I can only tell you what I'd hope the answer to that question was.

Age is a Physical Marker, Not a Spiritual One

"Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)

It can be easy to look at the age of a person and assume that they'd have attained some level of spiritual maturity. This might be possible to some extent, but it certainly isn't the ultimate marker. I've been following the Lord for about 4 years now, each of them marked by something unique. Year 1 could be called "a Proper Introduction"; I'd spent all of this year simply learning about who Jesus is and about the relationship with God that we're designed for. Year 2, "Explosive Growth," was filled with blessings. I may not have told you that I had this Jesus thing figured out, but some piece of my heart certainly believed this and clung to the idea. The title of the year that came after: "Confused Burnout."

I'd spent the better part of that third year trying to recreate the "success" I'd found in Year 2—a year in which I'd had a strong community, a strong sense of direction, I’d given a sermon and began writing this blog. I fought hard to get back to this place of bliss, I'd assumed that this was what Christianity was supposed to look like, but it felt as though I was finding every emotion other than joy. I couldn't get past the idea that I was in the wrong with God. I'd lost a bit of my sense of identity in Him, and it was a brutal time for me. But I slowly made my way out of this pit and back into the light and the end of Year 3 bled into Year 4—a season called "Renewed Foundations."

In this year, I've found a renewed sense of direction and a deeper understanding of what it means to stick by God and to have a relationship with Him. I found that my "success" as a Christian ran deeper than what was seen on the outside, though not totally separate from. I've come to a deeper understanding of what we're actually called to as Christians, and I've seen the beauty of the diversity in the body of Christ—the many different gifts, denominations, and individuals in the Church. I've understood the difference between devotion to Christ and perfectionism—one dies to the other, the choice is ours. I've seen what my faith is really made of, and this is the joy that's at the end of the tunnel of trials and tribulations.

As good a marker as physical and spiritual age might be, a better marker is how quickly we can humble ourselves and let God be God. My timeline isn't the timeline, it's mine. Everyone goes through their maturing process at a different rate. I was taught at a very young (spiritual) age how to study my Bible, how to share the Gospel, how to operate in community, and how to develop a relationship with God. I found my gifts pretty early, and they were encouraged at home and in a community of Bible-reading, Jesus-loving, Spirit-filled believers. Your path probably won't look like mine. It took me 18 years to find the Lord, it may have taken you 12 and it may have taken 72. It's dangerous to look to our age as the marker for spiritual maturity. Devotion to God (and all that entails) is much more sound.

Steadfastness' Full Effect

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)

Jesus is the ultimate image of maturity. He followed the will of God perfectly, as only He could, and was rewarded for it. This is the process that lays before us too. The Word often speaks of looking to a reward in heaven rather than on earth. We're fighting for a reward that's permanent and the more we mature the greater it gets. I don't know what exactly this reward looks like, maybe that's something else I learn in this next season, maybe it's a mystery meant to be hidden until we get there. But I definitely want that reward. If eternity with God were the only reward, I'd be content (at least I'd like to get to that point in my heart).

Christ endured a suffering that was not only physically awful, but worse than that it was completely undeserved. It got to the point where, as He became our sin on that cross, the Father seems to leave Jesus for a moment, prompting Him to cry out "my God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" This is the depth of Christ's obedience to the Father and, though most of us won't be led to death on a cross, this is the model for what mature faith looks like. It's a faith in God that says, "Even when everything around me has fallen apart, I will keep your command. I will love You."

Again, most of us won't be face-to-face with death, or with sacrificing a child, or with the loss of a kingdom, or an impossible resurrection of a brother, etc.; but we will be faced with a family member dying, or a job loss, or the end of a relationship that seemed it would stand the test of time, or with a series of "no's" and delays in response to our most earnest prayers. We're absolutely allowed to grieve these things, it'd be unhealthy not to and that's not something Jesus modelled (see John 11:35); but none of these things should pull our gaze away from God. Rather, they should be seen as opportunities to become steadier in our faith—like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruit in its season, whose leaves don't fall away (Psalm 1).

This is the full effect of steadfastness through trial, of sticking by God when tested and tempted to turn to vices. And I find it helps to envision that person who's made it through and grown deeper in their relationship with God. What is that person capable of? Imagine how the world around you would change if you developed a deeper partnership with the God of the universe. This is the image that is supposed to bring us joy when we're tested by life. Imagine what it would look like to live life as God had designed us to do so: in perfect, complete relationship with Him. This is maturity, the end of the race that we're running. Run it well.

Be blessed.