Speaking with some brothers this morning, and discussed the spiritual maturity process. I envision it in three stages. You are welcome to disagree with me and to correct me, but I won't be listening. Sort of a moot offer, really.
* Stage one is the vacuum state, the unbeliever phase where no decision you make even considers God in the equation. Your every decision is self-focused and if you even thought that God existed, He was so far away that your decisions could be made without His knowing.
* Stage two is the fear state, the believer phase where the decisions you make consider God as an awesome Judge. Your every decision is consequence-focused. You make decisions conscious of the potential outcomes and reactions from God. You are more interested in avoiding punishment for sin and consequence from sin. God is close enough that your decisions are made right under His watchful eyes.
* Stage three is the love state, the believer phase where the decisions you make consider the Lord's feelings. Your every decision is heart-focused, and not your own. You are aware that your every poor decision grieves the Lord. God is so close that you can see His eyes and the hurt in them when you choose the path that doesn't take you closer to Him.
Maturity is the development toward that last stage. That stage where you can't separate your choices from the Lord's choices for you. Room for disagreement, sure. Just not listening.
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