“Maturity: among other things, a new lack of self-consciousness—the kind you can only attain when you have become entirely indifferent to yourself through an absolute assent to your fate.
He who has placed himself in God’s hands stands free vis-à-vis men: he is entirely at his ease with them, because he has granted them the right to judge.”[page 75]
Hammarskjold, Dag. 1993. Markings. New York, NY: Random House Publishers.
I would say more than just maturity: I would call this “Mature surrender of self.” How does one get to the point of lack of self-consciousness? This is difficult because we know we have to be self-aware in order to function normally. There is a thin line between self-awareness and self-consciousness. Spiritual maturity is getting to that place in our inner self where the distinction is clear. Self-awareness and self concept are developed in a healthy way, rooted in the image of Christ. Self-consciousness focuses on the limitations and the lack of worthiness to be one’s self and to be a work of God in Christ.
The only way to do this is to place one-self in the hands of God. As the clay we are made into His image and through Christ re-shaped and molded for His divine purposes. It is so easy to live our inner life stifled because we forget that we do not stand or fall before other human beings. Rather, our stability and maturity rests in the willingness of our will, desire and readiness to be vulnerable and pliable and waiting in the hands of the Almighty.
Even if others judge us, and they will because they are human beings and we have no way of controlling that freedom, there is an inner freedom in knowing that we are judged by God and we stand or fall before the divine presence.
Perhaps the hardest thing is to realize that our self-worth and self-concept are not tied to our performance or worthiness. God does not judge us worthy. We were initially judged unworthy by God and found wanting in our own ability to fix the human predicament of sin and sorrow. That is why, out of Divine Love, our own unworthiness was replaced with the worthy sacrifice of Jesus. We cling to him for our worth. We go to the cross for the paradox of flinging the unworthy self at the feet of our Savior and then unworthily picking up the cross and with a renewed sense of worth and freedom carrying that cross. It is our own sinfulness that keeps us carrying the cross, the unworthiness that thinks that by carrying the cross with Jesus still on it, somehow our super-human attempt at such a feat will merit our new standing before God.
Spiritual maturity and the inner self—a never ending journey that seems to present ever-changing landscapes of potential destination. Just when we think we have arrived, just around the next corner is a new vista to be traversed, a new challenge to be accepted, a new day to dawn upon us.
He who has placed himself in God’s hands stands free vis-à-vis men: he is entirely at his ease with them, because he has granted them the right to judge.”[page 75]
Hammarskjold, Dag. 1993. Markings. New York, NY: Random House Publishers.
I would say more than just maturity: I would call this “Mature surrender of self.” How does one get to the point of lack of self-consciousness? This is difficult because we know we have to be self-aware in order to function normally. There is a thin line between self-awareness and self-consciousness. Spiritual maturity is getting to that place in our inner self where the distinction is clear. Self-awareness and self concept are developed in a healthy way, rooted in the image of Christ. Self-consciousness focuses on the limitations and the lack of worthiness to be one’s self and to be a work of God in Christ.
The only way to do this is to place one-self in the hands of God. As the clay we are made into His image and through Christ re-shaped and molded for His divine purposes. It is so easy to live our inner life stifled because we forget that we do not stand or fall before other human beings. Rather, our stability and maturity rests in the willingness of our will, desire and readiness to be vulnerable and pliable and waiting in the hands of the Almighty.
Even if others judge us, and they will because they are human beings and we have no way of controlling that freedom, there is an inner freedom in knowing that we are judged by God and we stand or fall before the divine presence.
Perhaps the hardest thing is to realize that our self-worth and self-concept are not tied to our performance or worthiness. God does not judge us worthy. We were initially judged unworthy by God and found wanting in our own ability to fix the human predicament of sin and sorrow. That is why, out of Divine Love, our own unworthiness was replaced with the worthy sacrifice of Jesus. We cling to him for our worth. We go to the cross for the paradox of flinging the unworthy self at the feet of our Savior and then unworthily picking up the cross and with a renewed sense of worth and freedom carrying that cross. It is our own sinfulness that keeps us carrying the cross, the unworthiness that thinks that by carrying the cross with Jesus still on it, somehow our super-human attempt at such a feat will merit our new standing before God.
Spiritual maturity and the inner self—a never ending journey that seems to present ever-changing landscapes of potential destination. Just when we think we have arrived, just around the next corner is a new vista to be traversed, a new challenge to be accepted, a new day to dawn upon us.
I love the image of being placed in God’s hands. This is the position of protection, security and safety. It is complete trust and reliance upon God to supply the inner worth and strength and value as we negotiate the terrain of life with relational challenges lurking behind every new bend in the road. Sometimes those challenges can leave us reeling and wondering if we truly are in the hands of God. But faith and inner assurance granted by the Holy Spirit gives us confirmation that all is well, and all shall be well. This is the ground of our being in relationship with God. The One who made us will shade us. The One before whom we kneel and pray everyday is Our Heavenly Father. It is to this Heavenly Father that our inner work in entrusted and that we live with a new resurgence of freedom and joy before others who really do not know us, and will never take the time to encourage us in our travels with God.
More than anything, O Lord, help me to become more and more like Christ. Help me to be more spiritually mature, and enjoy the freedom and inner peace that only You, Jesus and the Spirit can offer. In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
