In the youth of my Christian I was on my way, like a rocket ship, on fire for the a journey to heaven unrestrained. Based on the theoretical checklist of Christian attributes; I read, I prayed, I fasted, I did not drink, cuss, or smoke, I was ready made for my robe and crown. It was not long, however, before I realized I had not even begun to scratch the surface or lived enough adult life to understand that the journey was not a short brisk walk around the corner and back; but a culmination of complex life experiences multiplied by the number of years lived. At the age of twenty-three, I realized I did not know as much as I supposed and was wrong often about my views of faith and perception of life in general.
1 Corinthians 13:11
"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."
Life is full of triumph (peaks) and tribulation (valleys), but our time spent in the darkness of the valley allows us to flourish in our mountain top experiences. Of course, I was fearless, brave, and smart (I supposed), but I lacked soundly placed wisdom and spiritual maturity. To receive the crown of glory, as revealed in James 1:12; Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him; to have my name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. I had to go through some things to grow unless I remain a babe in Christ. Scripture tells us, Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 2:3).
The Bible refers to a refiner’s fire in which when it is at its hottest temperature, all the impurities and contaminants rise to the top. After being skimmed all that is left is pure. But he knoweth the way that I take: (this is Job speaking) when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold (Job 23:10). Is there a difference. Of course, there is. There is a great variance (as I soon learned) between a babe in Christ (gold plating) and being spiritually mature (24K).
