Susan Devadass in her book: Pressed but not crushed lists her life lessons from her trials. Christian life is to become mature, perfect and like him. (Colossians 1:28; Matthew 5:48) Life journey is filled with frustrations, disruptions, disappointments, opposition, hindrances, and discouragements. She provides six lessons:
1. Maturity is managing anger: Christian maturity is the ability to control your anger and settle your difference without violence or resentment. The anger is not directed against a person, but the issues. Hence, there is no unwarranted conflict. Mature people do not react when they are angry. Anger resides in the heart of fools. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)
2. Maturity is patience: Christian maturity is to have long-term goals, heavenly vision, and eternal perspective. It is willingness to pass up or give up short term pleasures for long-term gain.
3. Maturity is humility: It is being big enough to say, “I was wrong,” even when you are right. Humble people are willing to accept responsibility for greater good. Humble people are willing to love, esteem and serve others with joy.
4. Maturity is to finish: Christian maturity, the ability to discern and take the right decision and follow it through and bring it to completion. Immaturity is exploring endless possibilities in theory or speculation or imagination and ending up in doing nothing. They are daydreamers without vision or passion.
5. Maturing means dependability: Mature Christians are dependable. Such people keep their word, even when they face crisis or loss. Believers do not break promises. (Psalms 15:4) Immature people are confused and disorganized. Such people over commit and lose their credibility.
6. Matures are at peace: Ministry is the art of being at peace with what you cannot change, having the courage to change what you can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Christian life is a process in which a person is sanctified by the work of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God, in the crucible of trials and tribulations. Then, when He appears in His Second Coming, believers will be like Him. (I John 3:2)
Am I a maturing Christian?