I’ve enjoyed a number of books and conversations recently around spiritual maturity. They all attempt to address the area of the markers of spiritual maturity. What can we notice as we lean into our relationship with the God of the universe? What will we see in ourselves? What will we notice in others perhaps?

In all of this, there appears to be a theme around prayer. That what will change the most is how we embrace the act of prayer, our conversations with the Father.

When we first come to faith, our prayers are raw and very specific. We need God to show up in very practical ways. And amazingly, as I have witnessed and as these various authors would validate, God does. Our faith is new, without much of a foundation. God is a good Father, he knows our frailty, and he shows up for us in these practical ways. 

Think of the many stories of the bible and what happens. When the Israelites moved out of Egypt after slavery, God showed up in very immediate and practical ways, to show who he was and what he was capable of doing, that he was in control of all things.

Think of the early church as described in the book of Acts, and the many miraculous things that took place through prayer. A new thing was happening and God was revealing himself.

My conversations with my friend Saulius Karosas in Lithuania also reveal this. When independence came in the early 1990s, the church had new freedom to be all it was called to be. There were amazing examples of practical answers to prayer, many people being healed, people coming to faith in strange and beautiful ways. God was showing up.

Yet for maturity to take place, God knows that we need to develop a true relationship with Him that goes deep, that he’s not simply a bubble gum machine – put in your prayer and out comes the desired result.

I have noticed that many (I hope that word is not too bold) Christians have a hard time moving beyond this. They continue to look for the formula to get God to answer prayers as they want them answered. The get into the right emotional state, the find the right scripture, to be in the church the “gets it” and knows how to get God to respond.

Yet maturity in faith is so different. It moves beyond “bubble gum machine God” into a space of conversation, of listening, of simply being with the Father, and not needing Him to respond to our every whim. It is a faith that is more about sensing His closeness and love than about getting our answer.

Certainly we will talk to him about what is worrying us, and we will bring our concerns about those around us to him. It will also lead us to pray in even bigger ways, about issues and concerns that don’t necessarily impact us directly yet we sense a call to talk to God about them.

I have seen this in the people that I have come alongside in their discipleship. As their faith deepens, their prayers change. What they pray and how they pray is so evident. Times to simply be silent with God are treasured. The need to fill the space with requests diminishes. 

So how about you? What does prayering look like? Are you finding the need to convince God of what he needs to do, or are you simply more enjoying the beauty of a relationship that is full of love and meaning?

Some thoughts to reflect on.

For the kingdom.

Do you have a Blah Person?

Perhaps there are different ways to describe them. A dumping on person, a vomit on person, a complain to person, etc. Do you have one?

Now let me clarify something..

You could probably label some people who are in your life, or that you are aware of, that live their lives as blah people permanently. They are consistent complainers and whiners. They can find the bad in everything and everyone. They will make you aware of all the bad things happening in their lives and how nothing is ever right – for them or the world around them. If they ever are able to make a positive statement about something or someone it almost throws you off balance.

I’m not thinking of these people and I hope that you are not one of them. As a follower of Jesus, I trust that the “fruit of the Spirit” is flowing from you more and more and that you are active in bringing God’s kingdom “here on earth as it is in heaven” and not simply pointing out the non-kingdom things that are going on.

Yet we all have those thoughts that go through our minds. The frustrations, the anger, and perplexities. Stuff we are working through in an “unfiltered” way. In many ways, the Psalmists model what this looks like as they complain to God for what is happening to them and around them.

And I trust that you are going to God with these honest thoughts and feelings as I believe He desires that we express these things to him.

But I also think that there needs to be a human version of this in our lives. Do you have someone like this?

Now let’s be clear what these people are not.

These are not people who allow you to complain incessantly about anything and everything on an ongoing basis.

These are not people who are there to agree with all of your complaints.

These are not people who encourage you to keep on being negative or even revengeful.

And these are not people who look forward to you complaining to them so they can then complain back to you – a joint “blah” session if you know what I mean.

So who are these people?

They are people who know you well. They are people who love you deeply and desire the best for you. They are people who can listen and provide a space to be heard. They are people who know that life isn’t always easy, that “stuff” happens that needs to be expressed.

And they are also people who know when to tell you when “enough is enough.’. That you have had your moment to “blah” and that you now need to move on. They can give you counsel on how to work through these issues or guide you to someone who can, depending on the issues you are working through.

They will listen yet won’t allow you to stay where you are. They also know you enough and have your respect that they may even push you to move on even before you think you want to, but they know you must.

And, in the best case, you are also their “blah” person. What they are for you, you are for them.

Personally I know that I have this in my life. At times I can call and simply say, “Can I blah for a bit.” And they’ll listen and not judge. They are safe and I appreciate that.

So, for the sake of your discipleship and growth as a follower of Jesus, make sure you have a blah person. They are amazing.

For the kingdom.