Let me now talk about the final characteristic of adolescence. Spiritual adolescents advertise their autonomy, realize their responsibility but also they manifest their maturity. I want to tell you, spiritual adolescents, how to manifest your maturity. First, submit your autonomy to Gods authority. Throughout the Bible God talks about a flow chart, a chain of command. God has people over us, institutions over us and He wants us to submit our autonomy to their authority. We wants us to trust them. Whenever you go to a civic function, are part of a team, are part of a company, are part of a church, are part of a family, you are going to grow if, and only if, you submit your autonomy to the leaders in authority. Now if you cant trust them, find some people you can trust but make sure you submit your autonomy to their authority. All of us are like diamonds in the rough. A diamond in the rough is ugly. It has mud and crud and grime all over it. Someone who knows it is a diamond in the rough will take it and see the beautiful stone within. They will begin to knock away all the excess and then one day they will have a beautiful diamond. In Gods chain of command He has people and institutions over us to chip away all the excess to make us into beautiful diamonds. So think about it. One day you can look and see that you are a beautiful diamond but that you didnt understand the process while it was happening. God used that coach, God used that situation, God used that church or school to make me into a beautiful diamond. Our world doesnt want to hear about submitting to authority. We want the autonomy thing. We want to do what we please. We want to do what makes us look good, what gives us pleasure. You are not going to grow until you submit your autonomy to Gods authority.
Second. Break camp on the plains of puberty and climb the mountain of maturity. Next week I will spend the entire time discussing what it means to be an adult believer.
Fellowship Church Ed Young says God has spoken to me over the last couple of weeks and He has told me something that I didnt even realize about spiritual growth until recently. I am going to share that with you so make sure to be here next weekend. It is Gods goal for scores and scores of us to grow and to be spiritual adults.
