Have
you seen the hashtag #adulting?
Here is how "adulting" is
defined in the Urban Dictionary:
Adulting (v): to do
grown up things and hold responsibilities such as, a 9-5 job, a mortgage/rent,
a car payment, or anything else that makes one think of grown ups.
But one has to ask the question, "Why has this
newly created verb become necessary?" My generation and my parents'
generation moved into adulthood without needing a verb to describe the process.
We did all that stuff (we still do!), but didn't consider it to be anything
special or unique. It was just what one did as one matured. These things wouldn't
have been worth mentioning and hashtagging on Facebook--if we had had Facebook,
that is.
So I found myself mocking the #adulting crowd, until I
realized that I am in a similar experience spiritually. Lately I've been having
the sense that God is asking me to grow up in my relationship with him. He's
asking me to become His friend, much in the way my young adult children (who
will always be my children) are becoming my friends as well. They can't stop
being my kids, but the relationship is certainly changing, maturing. And I
rather like it. Can I have the same the experience with with my Father, God?
#spiritualadulting
Yep. That's what I'm calling it. It's time for me to
do grown up things and hold responsibilities in the Kingdom of God, God's
kicking me out of the nest.
So what does #spiritual adulting look like?
I'm still sort of figuring that out. But it certainly
means that my spiritual hissy fits and temper tantrums just aren't acceptable
anymore. It means that I can't shrink back and whine when there's work to be
done. If I'm hungry, I might just have to learn to cook.
But if I've learned to listen and obey, if I've tuned
my ears to the Shepherd's voice, if I've adapted to His Kingdom ways, then
shouldn't I become agile and adept at the work He intives me to do? Unlike
Gideon, who had to keep checking to make sure that he understood what God was
asking, God should now be able to direct me with the batting of His eye. A
sublte nudge, and I'm off to do what's being asked. Unlike the Corinthians and
Hebrews, who weren't ready for solid food, it's time that I cut my teeth on
some spiritual meat.
In fact, I'm finding that the Bible has a lot to say
about #spiritualadulting. But just like I assumed that #adulting was a natural
transition that required no special attention, I think that I imagined that
#spiritualadulting would happen naturally too. The Bible indicates otherwise.
In fact, Paul chides the Corinthians for refusing to move into spiritual
adulthood. It turns out that Neverland is actually more real than we thought.
Many life-long Christians are happy to be playing around, fighting Captain Hook
and swimming with mermaids, when God has clearly said that it's time to leave
the nursery.
It's great to be a child of God. And I'll never stop
being his child, but it's time to stop my childish ways. God's calling me to
grow up. And I want to step up. How about you?
#spiritualadulting.
It's on.
