To Grow Up, You Have to Give Up

Remember the old-school (and new-school) Polaroid cameras where you can take a photo and have the image in a tangible form within seconds? Back in the day, those were “cutting edge” compared to having to drop off film to be developed in a few days. The beauty of the Polaroid was not having to wait. Digital technology came along and today we have images immediately.

The joy of taking photos is having the opportunity to revisit them later and see how we have “grown-up” over time. We are growing and changing every day. Some are taller, some are wider, some are healthier, and some are wiser. If we’re living, we’re growing in many ways.

How about your relationship with Jesus? Is it growing? Over the past eight weeks, have you noticed changes in your connection to the Bible? Have you picked up on any changes to your attitude or your patience with others? Are you experiencing a little less stress and maybe a little more joy? When we discipline ourselves to be diligent with the habits of abiding in the Lord through time in His Word, time in prayer, time with other Christians, and time serving, we can’t help but notice how we are “growing up” in our Christian faith. But to grow up, we have to give up.

In Luke 9:23 and 24, Jesus told His followers, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. (NLT) Did you catch the first component of growing up in our spiritual lives?

“…you must give up your own way.”

As we strive to be stronger, more confident, and humble followers of Jesus, we begin by giving up our personal preferences (with time, attention, and energy) and repurposing those things toward things that help us grow up in the Christian faith. That might be less TV and a little more time reading the Bible or a Christian book. That might be adding Bible Fellowship to your Sunday schedule so you can get connected to other growing Christians. That might be joining a ministry team so that you put serving others before serving yourself.

It really is that simple…to grow up, you have to give up.