Maturation Process part 4
As I learn and grow, I mature. As I grow in grace, and learn just how loved I am, I BECOME who I am. Who I really am. You can't be who you really are by trying to be someone you're not. You can't earn a gift, and you can't change into something you're not. At the end of the day... you are who you are. As hard as you try to hide it, what's inside is what comes out. So I say STOP trying to hide it. I say embrace it. Be who you are. I'm a writer, so I write. Here's the key though: I CAN write anything. But that doesn't mean I have to. And it doesn't mean I want to. I certainly USED to. I would write what my grandma referred to as "trash." And it never went anywhere. Nothing ever happened with it. I was trying to be who I am, but I was trying to do it myself. I was immature. When I was a child, I did childish things. But then I grew up. I found something. Or maybe something found me. I was gripped by grace. I kept writing, but I started using my three T's (Time, Talent, and Treasure) in service to Jesus. I started writing Jesus books. And that's when things exploded. That's when I started publishing books. That's when I truly started to BE who I am. When I presented myself a living sacrifice to God. And see, I didn't have to sacrifice my inner being. I didn't have to "deny myself" and force myself to fit into a box that I really don't fit into. I didn't have to be someone I'm not. Guys... it's impossible to be someone you're not. It can't be done. Especially when we're talking about Jesus. Who could possibly live Jesus' life other than Jesus? Nobody. Nobody. Thank God that even though that's what religion is about, that's not what everlasting, eternal, abundant, Resurrection Life is about. It's not about living Jesus' life. He gave His life to us so that HE could live His own life in, and through, and as us. Maturity isn't trying to be a "good Christian." Maturity is knowing and believing that in Him we live and move and have our being. In us He lives and moves and has His being. Maturity is knowing and believing that we are One. There is no separation between God and man because God lives IN man. LOVE lives in man. And like I said earlier, what's inside comes out. But really I should have said, "What you believe is inside comes out." When you believe you are forgiven, you forgive. When you believe you are loved... you love. What you believe fills you to overflowing. What you believe comes out naturally. Maturity isn't about what you do. It's about what you believe. Because what you do flows from what you believe. I can't be something I'm not. Believe me, I've tried. Banging your head against the wall only gets you a headache. True maturity is knowing who you are (in Christ) and being who you are. Naturally. Effortlessly. Letting Jesus be who HE is in you. Embracing yourself and embracing others. Letting God love you, loving yourself, and loving others. Because it's all about love. Love is the most mature thing in the world. You can't be more mature than loving others with the love that you are loved with!