As we get older we are expected to act more mature. This is true of our spiritual life as well. We have been talking about how to practice experiencing God's presence in our lives. As the theory goes, the longer we practice this, the more mature we should be in regards to this practice. But Brother Lawrence reminds us: "It is not possible to become spiritually mature all at once. I recommend that you work with her, because we should help each other with our advice and, even more, with our good example." (page 45)
This is important to remember, that our spiritual maturity shouldn't be up to just us, but we should work together to help each other grow in our faith. As we share our struggles with each other, then we can help challenge each other to persevere in our journey. As the Bible says: "As iron sharpens iron, so one man helps another."
But maturity in our faith also has to do with our focus. Again, Brother Lawrence says: "Let us often remember...our sole occupation in life is to please God. What meaning can anything else have?" How much easier it is to grow mature in our faith when we are focused on just pleasing God. When we can remove the distractions in life, we can concentrate better on seeking how to please God with the way we live. Even more, when our focus is more on God, we can know God more deeply, and seek God more readily.
But the encouraging news is that God gives us more time. Each day is another opportunity for us to seek God, and know God, and let God's presence be expressed in and through us. Maturity in Christ is always about being serious. But it is about knowing of God's presence, and letting God's presence be there for you in the good times and the bad.
