Grow Up

 With my birthday coming up I started reflecting about my age and where it all went and all that stuff. I thought about a post I seen recently and I found it kinda amusing so I changed the number to fit me.

“I’m not 53; I’m on my 35^th year of 18”, actually been saying it, lol. My wife seems to agree with the 18 part as she tells me a lot to “Grow Up”, Ive had co-workers tell me this. In fact in a conversation with my pastor he said, “do ya think we should act a little more mature?” I got to thinking while we don’t really have to grow up or act our age, we cant stop getting older, even if we try to make ourselves look younger our bodies are still the age they are and nothing in this life can change that.

 Although I don’t act my age there is one area I always want to grow in, that’s my relationship with Jesus. As my pastor says, “I don’t want to be the same person next year”. I couldn’t agree more, I don’t want to be struggling with the same things, dealing with the same issues next year. In fact I like to look back and remind myself of the things I have given to Him, the things that I am no longer bound by, because of Jesus taking them away.

 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

 I love this even though these bodies we inhabit are aging and decaying, inwardly our spirit is growing, that’s growing in Christ. He doesn’t even promise that we will get through this life with our body intact, but it doesn’t matter. The spirit matters, the spirit is eternal.

 1John 3:2 “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is”.

 That’s really cool when you think about it, because the bible also tells us that nobody has ever seen God, nor could we and live. So our bodies cant handle seeing His Glory. But we get new enhanced ones, which are not going to be flawed.

 I kinda got off subject a bit, (happens a lot, squirrel). I told my pastor I don’t think we need to act more mature. But growing in Christ is essential for the believer. I don’t even think that we take a rest and maintain a level of relationship. We are either growing or sinking. The enemy doesn’t rest, he doesn’t stop, so we need to keep seeking Him, spending time with Him, to even stay at a level.

 At first it sometimes takes some effort to dedicate yourself to Him, but doesn’t everything? If you want to lose weight you have to dedicate yourself to a diet. To get in shape takes dedication to exercise. So does a relationship with Him, in fact the enemy will throw every excuse possible your way to get you to not grow in Him. He doesn’t stop there if you get past personal excuses, then he throws in people around you to distract you. Just remember the he only has the power that you give him over your life. Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.  Then there’s the awesome promise in Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

 Then before you know it He replaces that effort with love, and you look forward to the time spent together. You go to Him knowing He will share Himself with you. You may have started with a set time, but then it becomes more. You start noticing Him acting in your life more and more, talking to Him constantly. Then it becomes more clear what Paul was saying about “praying without ceasing”.

 Growing in Him, we all know that He is with us, but you start realizing that He is there and talking like He is actually next to you. That’s the way He wants to be with us. It becomes an instant reaction to thank Him with something good, or instantly pray with some need, not waiting until prayer time. He wants to be close to us, in fact when we feel He is distant its because we have pushed Him.

 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you, it’s a promise, and His desire, that’s how He rolls. Stay Blessed, PJ