“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”– John 12:24

Recently I’ve been subjected to an enormous amount of pressure and spending time on the threshing floor with the Lord. In this process, He spoke to me about what true spiritual maturity is. Becoming a son of God has little to do with what you can do (your gifting) and everything to do with who you are (your nature)! It is during trials and tribulations that the true you is exposed, revealing your nature and character. To release the oil inside an olive, it has to be crushed and pressed several times for the oil to become pure. It is only when you are crushed and pressed that the pure oil of Holy Spirit can be released in and through you. The question is, what comes out of you when He allows the crushing process ? Do you see the oil of Holy Spirit or the impurities and dirt in your heart ? All things work for your good, even the impurities you are ashamed of. 

God is perfecting your character, moulding you more and more into His image and likeness. That is what spiritual maturity truly is. It’s about your process of transformation into looking, speaking, and acting like your Heavenly Father. For a diamond to be formed, a living organism needs to die and become a fossil. Deep within the earth’s crust, the excruciating pressure combined with the intense heat close to the core creates conditions that transform the molecular structure of that fossil, pushing it up through the volcanic fires to the earth’s surface and when it cools, it presents a precious diamond. The more you fight the process of purification, the less your heart will be transformed. It is only through obedience to His consecration, and dying to yourself, that you become like Him. Stop fighting and submit to the crushing, there is precious oil and Godly character delivered in the end result.

JOY! Magazine (October 2017)