9 Habits of Highly Mature Christians
Growing and maturing as a Christian is a continuous process that requires intentional effort and daily habits. Just like a seed, we need to nurture ourselves with the right nutrients to grow in our faith. In this blog post, we will explore different habits that can help us become mature Christians. I will also highlight the importance of accountability and having a community to help us stay grounded in God's ways. Lastly, I’m sharing a new habit that I’ve adopted for 2023 in hopes that it inspires you in your own spiritual journey.
A Mature Christian Cares for Their Physical Health…
A mature Christian knows that being physically well is important to work to their full potential. It is difficult to serve the Lord or do our best when we feel sick due to poor diets and eating junk food. Also, stress can make it hard to do anything. So, mature Christians practice good habits like exercising, drinking water, eating whole foods, and meditating on the word of God. By being the best version of themselves, they can do their best in God's work and show the glory of God in the world.
"Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship." - Romans 12:1
"Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." - 3 John 1:2
A Mature Christian Works Wholeheartedly
The story of the talents teaches us to use what we have wisely. The Bible says we should take care of what we have, and if we do well with a little, we will do well with a lot. The Bible also says we should work as if we are working for God. A true Christian understands this and gives their all to everything they do, both at work and in their personal life.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." - Colossians 3:23-24
"The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none." - Deuteronomy 28:12
A Mature Christian Watches Their Actions
Being a Christian is not a 9 to 5 job where you take a break or only practice on certain days. Being a Christian entails every day of your life, where you strive to be more like Christ and follow His ways closely so that you become the salt of the earth and light of the world. People should admire you and how you reflect Christ on earth. So, the mature Christian knows that they are a walking Bible and acts in a way that brings glory to their Heavenly Father. This means demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit wherever they go, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
"If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless." -James 1:26
"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." -John 13:35
"But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." -Luke 6:35-36
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." -Galatians 5:22-23
A Mature Christian Has Godly Relationships and Friendships
We become who we surround ourselves with, and association matters. So the mature Christian loves everyone but understands that not everyone should be close to them. They maintain close relationships with people who also love God and want to live their lives in a way that honors Him. This also goes for romantic relationships. God is interested in every area of your life, including your relationships. Paul tells us that in whatever we do, we should give glory to God. Therefore, even our relationships should honor God, and the first stage of doing that is to be mindful of His word when it says, "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers." Your romantic relationship has the power to take you further away from God or to draw you closer to Him, so choose wisely.
"Abstain from every form of evil." - 1 Thessalonians 5:22
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works." - Hebrews 10:24
A Mature Christian Makes Prayer a Lifestyle and Not an Event
A mature Christian prays all the time, even when they're doing other things like walking, working, sweeping, or running. They might use prayer journals or prayer boards as reminders to pray regularly. Even though praying can be difficult, they set specific times to do it. When it's time to pray, they stop what they're doing and pray, even if they don't feel like it. They pray for strength to pray because they know they need God's help. They always pray before making any decision because they want God to be involved. By praying all the time, they put God first in everything, including their work, relationships, and hobbies. They also know it's important to complain less and pray more. The mature Christian understands that life is spiritual and prays for guidance in every situation.
"Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere." - Ephesians 6:18
"Listen to my voice in the morning, Lord. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly." - Psalm 5:3
"Never stop praying." - 1 Thessalonians 5:17
A Mature Christian Finds Ways to Remain in a Spirit of Praise and Worship
It's important to always remember God's presence wherever you are. You can take a prayer walk, play worship music in your car, or listen to worship during lunch. When you feel upset, take deep breaths and talk to God about what's going on. Lately, when I feel angry or want to say something harsh, I repeat to myself: "God, I love you," or "God, I need you," or "God, I want your peace." This helps me focus on God instead of what's happening around me.
Psalm 5:3 - "In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly."
Psalm 63:3 - "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."
Psalm 100:2 - "Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs."
A Mature Christian Is a Person of the Word of God, Consistently Studying the Bible
In our busy world, it's important to make time to read the Bible. You can do this in the morning or evening. Reading the Bible helps you get to know God better. When you want to get to know someone, you learn about their behavior and patterns. You can get closer to God by reading what He says and wants. Reading the Bible helps us hear God's voice in the midst of chaos. It assures us that no matter what happens, God is always in control. It's especially important to read the Bible before doing anything else. This way, we hear God's voice before we hear the world's. Mature Christians know that the Bible is like a sword that we use to fight against the devil. That's why they never take Bible study time for granted.
Tip: Read the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit. Ask for His guidance to understand what He wants to show you.
"And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:" - Ephesians 6:17
"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." - Joshua 1:8
"The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." - Isaiah 40:8
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness," - 2 Timothy 3:16
"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12
A Mature Christian Has a Community Helping Them to Stay Accountable
The Christian journey can be tough, but it's better with others. God wants us to have a community of Christians to support us, pray for us, and help us stay grounded in His ways. You can use apps that give daily devotions and help you meditate every day, but it's important to remember that you should do it for your relationship with God, not just to keep a streak going. You can also find mentors or join a Bible study or prayer group to stay on track. Ask God to guide you in finding the right people to help you on your journey!
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." - Romans 12:2
"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought." - 1 Corinthians 1:10
"Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord." - Ephesians 5:19
A Mature Christian Yields to God's Purposes
When you accepted God into your life, you declared that you belong to Him. This means that His plans are more important than yours. The mature Christian submits themselves completely to God's purposes. They believe that when God tells them what to do or where to go, they should be obedient to Him. In other words, the mature Christian knows what it means to say in the Lord's prayer, "Let your will be done." They give up control and allow God to lead them, being obedient to His word. As Priscilla Shirer says, "Divine Intervention + Yielded Submission = Eternal Significance.”
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time." - 1 Peter 5:6
"If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord." - Romans 14:8
"He must become greater; I must become less." - John 3:30
“PRAYER IS A MEANS OF SUSTAINING A FAITH THAT AT TIMES CAN GROW WEAK. THE POWER OF PRAYER IS ENRICHING, UPLIFTING TO HEAR OUR GOD SPEAK.”
Now, Put it Into Action
Write down all the habits you currently practice.
Ask God to tell you which habits you should change.
Write down all the habits you want to start doing.
Ask God for help to be consistent and mature.
My Accountability Tools Include:
My prayer and Bible study journal.
My prayer box
The daily subscriptions to various sites for everyday devotions
The Glorify app I have installed
My plans on You Version Bible App
My music playlist for worship on the way to work and from work
My Bible before phone rule every day
Setting up a reminder for the whole month to pray at a particular time using the calendar function
Real-Life Application: My New Habit in 2023
“EVERY GREAT MOVEMENT OF GOD CAN BE TRACED TO A KNEELING FIGURE.”
Growing in your faith is a process, not an event. It's the small steps that lead to the growth and maturity we desire. The habits I've listed have helped me a lot, and I believe they can help you too. I'm still adding new habits to my accountability tools, such as "Fridays with God" that I started this year. Every Friday night, I spend time with God. I put my phone away, take out my Bible, and pray.
Sometimes, I watch a Christian movie or listen to sermons, prayer journal my prayers and what I learned during the week, do some Bible study, pray in the Spirit, and praise and worship. I make sure to start at 9 pm and before that, I walk around our house and pray over every room, asking the Holy Spirit to fill it up. I'm sharing this so that you can develop your own thing with God.
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Quotes to Ponder
"Remember, we become what we repeatedly do. The goal is to do what Christ would do and so in the process become more Christlike."
"Prayers are deathless. They outlive the lives of those who uttered them." - E.M. Bounds
"There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator made known through Jesus." - Blaise Pascal