Real Maturity Takes Time

Real maturity takes time
by Rick Warren


Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. 2 Corinthians 3:18b (Msg)
"Every day God wants you to become a little more like him. "

Discipleship is the process of conforming to Christ. The Bible says, "We arrive at real maturity—that measure of development which is meant by 'the fullness of Christ.'" (Ephesians 4:13, Phillips)

Christlikeness is your eventual destination, but your journey will last a lifetime. This journey involves believing (through worship), belonging (through fellowship), and becoming (through discipleship). Every day God wants you to become a little more like him: "You have begun to live the new life, in which you are being made new and are becoming like the One who made you." (Colossians 3:10a, NCV)

Today we're obsessed with speed, but God is more interested in strength and stability than swiftness. We want the quick fix, the shortcut, the on-the-spot solution. We want a sermon, a seminar, or an experience that will instantly resolve all problems, remove all temptation, and release us from all growing pains.

But real maturity is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving. Growth is gradual. The Bible says, "Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." (2 Corinthians 3:18b, Msg)