In almost any human endeavor that I can think of, maturity in any discipline is measured by the degree to which the task can be proficiently accomplished by one's self - without any help from anyone else. I may need someone to help me to learn to drive a car, but I won't get a licence to legally drive until I can pass the driver's tests - written and driving - by myself. I may need a coach to teach me how to swing a bat, but no one is going to stand at the plate with me in a game. Cooking, playing an instrument, walking, reading, writing - the very worthy goal in our lives is for us to be able to take care of ourselves in our lives as much as possible.
In the area of serving Christ - and this is such a hard truth for we self-sufficient, 21st century folks to grasp and accept - the exact opposite is true. When we start out walking with Jesus, this in-grained truth - self-sufficiency - which guides the rest of our lives automatically kicks in here - 'Hey, I've got to be faithful today; I've got to be strong today; I've got to be victorious over that temptation, that attitude, that hard task today; I've got to keep the ten commandments today, the sermon on the Mount today, the fruit of the Spirit today. I've got to be committed today, obedient today, saved today, sanctified today, Spirit-filled today - or at least I've got to start getting closer to all of this.' Now its true, we do need to grow in grace, we do need to become more like Jesus, we do need to walk closer to Him every single day of our lives. But here's the rubber-meets-the-road-truth - WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THIS OURSELVES. In fact, the more we try, the more we will get in the way and slow the whole process down. What works for driving a car, baking a cake, or sewing a dress - I've got the talent, ability, and intelligence to learn how to do this by myself, I've just got to get with it and get it done - is totally worthless, and is in fact demonic, in Christian formation - which it has not taken many of us long to learn as we, with good intention and motive, have failed and failed and failed - and hated ourselves doing so - trying, in our own strength, to be all that God wants us to be.
The truth is just simply this: Maturity in the things of Christ is defined by an ever-growing awareness that I can't do anything in terms of pleasing God, becoming more like Jesus, or advancing His cause in any way, shape, or form - no matter how many 'experiences' or 'works of grace' or plateaus of spiritual life I have reached -in my own strength I am helpless. My task is to daily, hourly, even by the minute join with the author of the 123rd Psalm when he declares:

"I lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in heaven. As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy. Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us . . ." Ps. 123 1-3

Only as we look to Jesus every second, of every minute, of every hour of every day for life will 'life and life more abundant' be ours. For you see brothers and sisters, this is grace. 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.' Dear God, as much as it hurts, continue to show me just how totally weak and helpless and hopeless I am when I am not looking at and to you. In Jesus' Name.

Read full post >>