Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. Ephesians 4:14–15 (NLT)
When you were a baby, your parents looked after your needs and took responsibility for your actions. As you grew, you entered a different season and started taking more responsibility for your own actions.
In the Christian world, there are also different seasons of growth. The first season is when you get saved. At first, everything about Christianity and the church may seem wonderful, but in the next season, you begin to notice a few flaws in your church and the Christians around you.
The reality is that things are not perfect. The church is made up of imperfect people, and we’re all working on things. As you grow up through that phase, you need to decide what to focus on. If you’re only willing to see the flaws, it’s going to affect what you believe, and what you believe shapes your future.
As you progress through this second stage, don’t allow yourself to become familiar with church and God. If you become familiar, you stop being in awe of God and you stop expecting church to change your life. Pride begins to come in. You start thinking you’ve arrived. You stop changing, and eventually all momentum stops, and you get stuck.
Never lose your awe for God. Never stop being amazed at the wisdom and power of His Word, and you will keep growing through every season.