A Year 4 Transformation: Day 202-The Internal Battle Between Immaturity and Maturity

Passage of the Day:

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹² to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up ¹³ until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.¹⁴ Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵ Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶ From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work, Ephesians 4:11-16.

Reflection:

As a former athlete, I’ve spent most of my life concentrating on pushing my body to its limit. Unfortunately, I’ve ignored the internal battle within my flesh. Although we all have moments that you regret, the apostle Paul details the areas Christians need to focus on before maturity will shine through. Jesus’ earthly brother relays a similar message at the beginning of the first Catholic epistle written to Christians scattered throughout the Middle East. James’ advice is helpful for choosing maturity over immaturity.

Prayerful Action:

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything, James 1:4.

Working Out Your Salvation:

James 1:2-4 provides expectations that all Christians should be prepared for daily. Maturity is conceived when trials that you encounter are embraced. The more trials that you experience, the greater the opportunity for your faith to grow. As the testing of your faith continues, perseverance has the chance to develop. Rather than blame God for all the hardships that you will encounter, James 1:13, choose maturity as you endure future spiritual tug of wars in your life.

Song of the Day:

Sometimes I have a habit over thinking the Christian life. Using the lyrics of In the Light, choosing maturity over immaturity is much easier when you’re walking in the light. Hang in there this summer as you seek to achieve spiritual maturity.

by Jay Mankus