Growing by the Grace of God

By Emily Herring Dunn

For the past year or so I have been doing many things to try to grow in my faith. One of those things is reading a One Year Bible to try and “know my stuff” and grow closer to God. While I do have moments when I let the everyday world take over and I fall behind on my God time, I am doing a better job than I ever envisioned.

OK, so that’s not quite good enough. I asked for the One Year Bible so I would get up every morning and spend time with God. While some mornings I’m full of excuses or tired from the previous days of the week, I shouldn’t let that interrupt the relationship.

I am slowly but surely realizing that this is a tough world we live in. While I knew this to begin with, it is sinking in more and more as I grow older.

I’ve realized that as Christians we have it even harder. We are living in a secular world that focuses on everything from sex to drugs, to little things like “bad words”, and that secular world idolizes such things.

In high school and college, I think things are even worse. Here we are from ages 13 to 22 and we’re learning how to be adults. I mean, let’s face it, we are learning, and perhaps no one truly ever learns what that word “adult” means.

Just to help this devotional along, let’s give you a definition:

Adult’ a. grown-up; mature—n. mature person, animal, or plant.

So, what does that mean? We could go in circles forever! You could look up grown-up, mature, person, and even animal or plant. How are we supposed to know when we’re adults and when life is supposed to be really tough? I can tell you, for me, life has seemed the most difficult between 13 and 22.

Between ages 13 and 22, a person is supposed to learn how to be mature. A person is supposed to learn good life choices, and as Christians we are supposed to learn how to live according to God’s will and plans. We may make plans of our own, but how do we make sure that everything is for the glory of God? As other individuals around us are focused on the secular world, making decisions that we don’t look at as lightly as they do, how are we supposed to grow up to be Christian adults?

Christianity’ n. religion based on the teachings of Jesus—Christian a., n.

According to Webster’s New Pocket Dictionary, Christianity is a religion based on the teachings of Jesus, so we can assume a Christian would be a person, animal, or plant that follows the teachings of Jesus, correct? So, an ‘Adult Christian’ may be something like this:

Adult Christian’ n. mature person, animal, or plant that bases his, her, or it’s life on the teachings of Jesus.

As ‘Adult Christians’, we are held to higher standards. We base our lives on the teachings of the number one teacher, the Messiah, the Son of God who died for our sins. And yet we are sinners everyday and surrounded by sinners as well. What does that mean? It means that we do not deserve to be Adult Christians, but we are blessed with God’s grace and forgiveness because of His son’s teachings.

OK, so what does this have to do with being between the ages of 13 and 22?

Between the ages of 13-22 a person is more apt to change, more apt to molding, and out on his/her own more so to experience what this world is all about. That’s a scary step, wouldn’t you say? Because when a person is 13 you don’t think much of him/her going out in to the world and becoming a new adult. At the age of 13, a person is still a child to most.

Then, suddenly, at age 18, a person is expected to become a ‘mature person,’ step out in to the world, and make the right choices.

I don’t think so.

We as Christians are growing every single day. As young adults, and as adult Christians, we strive to live by the teachings of Jesus Christ and to witness to those around us. It isn’t easy. The people around us give in to the temptations of everyday life, as we do, but the difference is that some of them don’t have the Savior to forgive them and rescue them from a damned life.

I know. It’s intense.

Psalm 37:3-4 says, “Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires.”

How amazing is that? As long as we trust in the Lord, do good, and take delight in the Lord, then we will live safely, prosper, and receive our heart’s desires. Now, who deserves that?

I can tell you who. No one.

We are living a blessed life. Though at times it may seem more difficult to be an Adult Christian than to just be an adult, it’s a choice we have made and a life we have been blessed with. Jesus died on the cross for all of our sins, and we must live each day with that in mind.

Though other adults may seem like they’re having more fun living a life that isn’t by the teachings of Christ, we have the ultimate blessing and fun a head of us—even after death! We live on forever by the grace of God, simply by glorifying Him and doing good by Him.

“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Savior and my God!” Psalm 43:5.

Your life is in God’s hands. Put your hope in God, praise Him, and He will give you your heart’s desires. As an adult, that’s a pretty good thing to know. We trek through life wondering if we will ever get what we desire, ever get what we think we deserve—and God says yes you will. Praise Him through the storms of high school, of college, or growing up and He will mold you in to an Adult Christians.