Maturity

Time doesn’t heal wounds. Rottenness invades wounds and grows there.

Even when we forgive those who have sinned against us, the work is not finished with one act of forgiveness, no matter how genuine and love-motivated it may be. Every time I think again of the offence, I have to go through the entire process of forgiveness again. Every time I need the thing that was stolen, every time I reach out to use the arm that was injured, every time I think of something I want to say to the one who was murdered, I have to reprocess the original event through the power of the cross and the Spirit of Jesus.

Healing happens when I have applied enough of the fruit of the Spirit to a situation by responses that are birthed in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fullness of faith, gentleness, and self-control. Maturity is the state of having been healed. When I have become a sweetened, useful, ripe offering to the world on the tree of Life.