A persistent character

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. (1 Corinthians 13:11 NLT)

Maturity of character is an indicator that determines who will be successful in life and who won’t. A mature character will help us avoid unnecessary problems, ultimately fulfilling our purpose.

1.- To mature in character, we need to deny ourselves. The Bible teaches us to deny ourselves by abandoning our old selves. In other words, to mature in character, we need to get rid of our past clothes and clothe ourselves in the Holy Spirit’s thoughts and attitudes. (Ephesians 4:23)

2.- Maturing in character requires patience. Patience is the supernatural ability given by God to persevere during difficulties for long periods of time without losing joy and being discouraged. Patience is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 2:22-23)

3.- Develop a bigger vision that goes beyond yourself. When someone doesn’t have a vision greater than themselves, they become discouraged in life when any problem arises. When we have a vision that is greater than ourselves, we don’t put our identity in materialism or our appearance, because we understand that our identity is placed in God, our creator.

4.- Develop intimacy with God: There is no help when we’re far from God. It is highly important to have a real relationship with our Heavenly Father, because only like that will we be able to persevere and mature in our character.

Think about it:

In what area of your life do you need to deny yourself and clothe yourself in the Holy Spirit?
Do you have a vision that goes beyond yourself?
In what way do you think maintaining a close relationship with God will help you mature?