“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.”[1]
Paul uses this as an illustration of how our maturing into adulthood in physical life is parallel to the way our present use of spiritual gifts will pale in comparison to the “face to face” encounter with Jesus that is coming soon.[2]
It reminds me that ALL our self-protection is hiding parts of ourselves that are still a child, still speaking like a child, still thinking like a child, and still reasoning like a child. Our healing and freedom in Christ aim to free us from the WoLVeS that scare us into permanent infancy and lead us to grow up to maturity in Christ.
That connects to what it means that “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”[3]
Maturing out of infantile attachments does not mean our attachment needs are no longer there, but that drawing near to God in faith rises above them all. Giving up the childishness of the past, including whatever immature “parts” are stuck in old nightmares of attachment-pain, happens as God draws us near into the greater rewards of seeking him.
The journey continues of maturing into a
man who is a friend TO God because I am discovering realities of being a friend
OF God that I have never realized are mine.
© 2020 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8
Email: in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the
English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text
Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.)
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