Spiritual Maturity Quotes

Spiritual maturity is not knowing what to do with your whole life, but just knowing what to do next. ~ Henri Nouwen

Because we are more adult than actually mature, we tend to take our sins and baptize them, dressing them up as spiritual maturity. ~ R.C. Sproul Jr.

Spiritual maturity is a lifelong pursuit. We grow in spiritual maturity moment by moment, day by day, year by year. ~ Jim George

When a person becomes a Christian, he doesn't just join a local church because it's a good habit for growing in spiritual maturity. He joins a local church because it's the expression of what Christ has made him - a member of the body of Christ. ~ Mark Dever

There are no shortcuts to spiritual maturity. It takes time to be holy. ~ Erwin W. Lutzer

The goal of a child's life is maturity - and the goal of a Christian's life is spiritual maturity. ~ Billy Graham

Maturity is achieved when a person postpones immediate pleasures for long-term values. ~ Joshua L. Liebman

Within the church, it is possible for believers to possess a profound unity based on a shared commitment to Biblical truth, an intimate knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and a deep level of spiritual maturity. Paul also adds "sound doctrine" and "growing in Christlikeness" as additional benefits that result from the saints being properly equipped to build up the body of Christ."(Comments on Ephesians 4 vs 11-13) ~ John F. MacArthur Jr.

Physical maturity is bound to time. Spiritual maturity is bound to obedience. ~ John Bevere

Impatience is a particularly dangerous habit of the heart because everything worthwhile takes time. Good marriages take time. Spiritual maturity takes time. Financial stability takes time. Effective ministry takes time. Wisdom takes time. People who are not willing to take time cannot have any of the above. ~ Jim Berg

One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others. ~ David A. Bednar

Those who look down on other Christians because they lack a particular gift or experience, or those who despise a particular gift and look down on Christians who have it, are not demonstrating spiritual maturity. ~ Craig S. Keener

The ability to rejoice in any situation is a sign of spiritual maturity. ~ Billy Graham

The arts are not simply skills: their concern is the intellectual, ethical, and spiritual maturity of human life. And in a time when religious and political institutions are so busy engraving images of marketable gods and candidates that they lose their vision of human dignity, the arts have become the custodians of those values which most worthily difine humanity, which most sensitively define Divinity. ~ Robert Shaw

Quote from my book DIVINE INTERRUPTIONS: A BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JOB. Available on Amazon.

"LIFE lessons are so challenging!
God never promised us an easy life, but it's not all darkness and suffering. We have a choice to see things with a positive mind set. Recognizing the negativity in our thinking is the first step toward a perspective transformation. This is a big step in the healing process, and usually produces Christian growth and greater spiritual maturity. ~ Cheryl Zelenka

Those who think that the wisest way to groom a child for spiritual maturity is to isolate him from the evil, corrupted world system or airbrush his childhood environment so much that it exposes only him to the good and never teaches him how to process the bad (or the counterfeit) will set a child up for a life of mediocrity at best and spiritual annihilation at worst. ~ Tim Kimmel

Faithfully caring for the poor and needy is a reflection of spiritual maturity. ~ Dean M. Davies

We may be grown-up biologically, but in terms of a spiritual journey, we are children. When you were a child, you probably felt much more grown up with each year that passed. But with hindsight, it is easy to see that at each age we were still immature in ways that we did not suspect. The same thing with our spiritual maturity: it is a lifetime-project! ~ Dana Williams

The Bible places great emphasis on spiritual maturity because, like children, immature believers are prone to sample anything. They are attracted to what looks good to their untrained eyes. Only as they grow in maturity are they able to differentiate between what pleases God and what does not. Because of this there can be no growth without discernment. ~ Tim Challies

In the parable of the talents, the three servants are called to render an account of how they have used the gifts entrusted to them. The first two used their talents boldly and resourcefully. The third, who prudently wraps his money and buries it, typifies the Christian who deposits his faith in an hermetic container and seals the lid shut. He or she limps through life on childhood memories of Sunday school and resolutely refuses the challenge of growth and spiritual maturity. Unwilling to take risks, this person loses the talent entrusted to him or her. "The master wanted his servants to take risks. He wanted them to gamble with his money."5 ~ Brennan Manning

Do you want to know what God's will is for you? It is for you to become more and more like Christ. This is spiritual maturity, and if you make this your goal, it will change your life. ~ Billy Graham

Our focus reflects our love and admiration for you ... We want you to live lives of spiritual maturity and fulfillment, free of unrealistic comparisons. ~ Elaine L. Jack

When both the inner man and woman takes responsibility for themselves and lives their own truth, a joy and love begins to flow naturally between them. Through understanding both the inner man and woman, we understand that outer relationships simply mirror the relationship between our inner man and woman. This understanding gives us the opportunity to take conscious responsibility for our choices and our further steps towards spiritual maturity. ~ Swami Dhyan Giten

Spiritual maturity is measured not by the sophistication of a person's opinions, but by their genuineness and the courage necessary to express and maintain them. ~ Caroline Myss

Aloneness is a wise teacher. Kierkegaard remarked that one sign of spiritual maturity was the ability to be comfortable when alone. ~ Vernon Howard

Jesus-shaped spirituality hears Jesus say "believe and repent," but the call that resonates most closely in the heart of a disciple is "follow me." The command to follow requires that we take a daily journey in the company of other students. It demands that we be lifelong learners and that we commit to constant growth in spiritual maturity. Discipleship is a call to me, but it is a journey of "we. ~ Michael Spencer

emotional health and spiritual maturity are inseparable. It is not possible to be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature. ~ Peter Scazzero

In our process of spiritual maturity, our faith needs to attain bigger dimensions ~ Sunday Adelaja

Part of spiritual and emotional maturity is recognizing that it's not like you're going to try to fix yourself and become a different person. You remain the same person, but you become awakened. ~ Jack Kornfield

Heroism does not require spiritual maturity. ~ Abel Hermant

One of the truest tests of spiritual maturity is seeing the miraculous in the monotonous. ~ Mark Batterson

Jesus taught that spiritual maturity is never an end in itself. Maturity is for ministry! We grow up in order to give out. It is not enough to keep learning more and more. We must act on what we know and practice what we claim to believe. ~ Rick Warren

Sometimes when we read the words of those who have been more than conquerors, we feel almost despondent. I feel that I shall never be like that. But they won through step by step, by little bits of wills, little denials of self, little inward victories, by faithfulness in very little things. They became what they are. No one sees these little hidden steps. They only see the accomplishment, but even so, those small steps were taken. There is no sudden triumph, no spiritual maturity. That is the work of the moment. ~ Amy Carmichael

We have tried everything to get rid of suffering. We have gone everywhere to get rid of suffering. We have bought everything to get rid of it. We have ingested everything to get rid of it. Finally, when one has tried enought, there arises the possibility of spiritual maturity with the willingness to stop the futile attempt to get rid of it and, instead, to actually experience suffering. In that momentous instant, there is the realization of that which is beyond suffering, of that which is untouched by suffering. There is the realization of who one truly is.
-Gangaji ~ Gangaji

I want to love my wife, care for my kids, and give life to my friends. I want to do the work God made me to do. I want to love God and the world he made. I want to do my part to help it flourish, for my spiritual maturity is not measured by following rules. "The me God made me to be" is measured by my capacity to love. When we live in love, we flourish. That is the dance. ~ John Ortberg

We live in an age where too many who profess to be Christians rarely consider their spiritual maturity - an age when many consider spiritual immaturity a mark of authenticity, and when people associate doubt with humility and assurance with pride. Far too many people consider sound theology the mark of a person who is argumentative and proud. ~ Tim Challies

Joanna's quietly intent nature contrasted sharply with Holly's vibrancy. While Miss Brewster's flirtation stroked his ego, the spiritual maturity Miss Robbin's exhibited commanded his admiration and respect. ~ Karen Witemeyer

As long as a believer is worrying about whether or not they are truly saved, they will never grow up in spiritual maturity. It basically guarantees that a Christian will remain stuck in spiritual infancy. And worse, it paints a picture of God that is not only untrue but also unbiblical. It cheapens the gift of salvation – the gift of grace – and make God look like a finicky human. ~ Will Davis Jr.

In this way, the Gospel of Mary holds up Mary as a model for Christian leadership based on spiritual maturity and prophetic insight. It is because she has achieved spiritual maturity that she is able to teach and care for the others. ~ R.S. Sugirtharajah

Spontaneity is an underappreciated dimension of spirituality. In fact, spiritual maturity has less to do with long-range visions than it does with moment-by-moment sensitivity to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. And it is our moment-by-moment sensitivity to the Holy Spirit that turns life into an everyday adventure. ~ Mark Batterson

Soul has been demoted to a new-age spiritual fantasy or a missionary's booty, and nature has been treated , at best, as a postcard or a vacation backdrop or, more commonly, as a hardware store or refuse heap. Too many of us lack intimacy with the natural world and with our souls, and consequently we are doing untold damage to both. ~ Bill Plotkin

Spiritual maturity isn't seen in age but mentality and purpose. The insights of the soul is from the wisdom of God ~ Saviour

Bible study is essential to spiritual maturity. ~ Howard G. Hendricks

Spiritual maturity is becoming like Jesus in the way we think, feel, and act. The more you develop Christlike character, the more you will bring glory to God. The Bible says, "As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more."16 ~ Rick Warren

There is within you a lamb and a lion. Spiritual maturity is the ability to let lamb and lion lie down together. ~ Henri J.M. Nouwen

Some of these beginners, too, make little of their faults, and at other times become over-sad when they see themselves fall into them, thinking themselves to have been saints already; and thus they become angry and impatient with themselves, which is another imperfection. Often they beseech God, with great yearnings, that He will take from them their imperfections and faults, but they do this that they may find themselves at peace, and may not be troubled by them, rather than for God's sake; not realizing that, if He should take their imperfections from them, they would probably become prouder and more presumptuous still. They dislike praising others and love to be praised themselves; sometimes they seek out such praise. Herein they are like the foolish virgins, who, when their lamps could not be lit, sought oil from others. ~ San Juan De La Cruz

The clergy profession is fundamentally self-defeating. Its stated purpose is to nurture spiritual maturity in the church - a valuable goal. In actuality, however; it accomplishes the opposite by nurturing a permanent dependence of the laity on the clergy. Clergy become to their congregations like parents whose children never grow up, like therapists whose clients never become healed, like teachers whose students never graduate. ~ Christian Smith

And in my own pastoral and personal Christian experience, I can say that I've never known a man or woman who came to spiritual maturity except through discipline. Godliness comes through discipline. ~ Donald S. Whitney

Baba Ji says "Spiritual Maturity is when you VALUE your focus on God above all else and would never lose it for a second no matter how much effort you had to make or pain, sacrifice and hardship you had to endure to keep it ~ Baba Gurinder Singh Ji

The Bible is the divine means of developing spiritual maturity. There is no other way. ~ Howard G. Hendricks

It is the capacity to develop and improve their skills that distinguishes leaders from followers. ~ Warren G. Bennis

If we are sowing lots of thoughts about shoes, cars, clothes, computer games, shopping, guns, and very few thoughts about things of the Lord, we will not reap spiritual maturity, spiritual priorities, greater desire for the Lord, or a closer relationship with the Lord. We will reap vanity, shallowness, and even greater spiritual disinterest and distance from the Lord. If we struggle with being uninterested in the things of the Lord, we need to consider that this is something we have actually done to ourselves. If we sow a desire to charm, amuse, or impress our friends, we will not reap relationships based on a selfless, sacrificial, Christ-like interest in our friend's spiritual welfare. We will reap self-serving, exploitive relationships that can actually drag our friends down. This is a life and death matter: what you are sowing in every little conversation that you have. Are you building up, edifying your friends? ~ Botkin

Christians who neglect the Bible simply do not mature. ~ John Stott

Joy is a characteristic of spiritual maturity and of surrender. ~ Joshua Stannard

As by knowing one tool of iron, dear one, we come to know all things made out of iron: that they differ only in name and form, while the stuff of which all are made is iron- so through that spiritual wisdom, dear one, we come to know that ll of life is one. ~ Eknath Easwaran

We are responsible for one another. Collectively so. The world is a joint effort. We might say it is like a giant puzzle, and each one of us is a very important and unique part of it. Collectively, we can unite and bring about a powerful change in the world. By working to raise our awareness to the highest possible level of spiritual understanding, we can begin to heal ourselves, then each other and the world. ~ Betty Eadie

I detach myself from preconceived outcomes and trust that all is well. Being myself allows the wholeness of my unique magnificience to draw me in those directions most beneficial to me and to all others. This is really the only thing I have to do. And within that framework, everything that is truly mine comes into my life effortlessly, in the most magical and unexpected ways imaginable, demonstrating every day the power and love of who I truly am. ~ Anita Moorjani

Every man should care (be concerned) about these three things: Which station have I come from? Which station did I get off? Which station am I going to? ~ Dada Bhagwan

They say that we are all haunted by a Spiritual Presence, of whose existence we are only fitfully and sometimes never conscious, ~ William T. Stead

There is no conclusive evidence of life after death, but there is no evidence of any sort against it. Soon enough you will know, so why fret about it? ~ Robert A. Heinlein

The road to freedom lies, not through mysteries or occult performances, but through the intelligent use of Nature's forces and laws. The Law of Mind is a natural law in the spiritual world. ~ Ernest Holmes

Darkness will always be a servant of light. ~ Matshona Dhliwayo

If you find no one to support you on the spiritual path, walk alone. There is no companionship with the immature. ~ Gautama Buddha

The Holy Spirit, out of compassion for our weakness, comes to us even when we are impure. And if He finds our intellect truly praying to Him, He enters it and puts to flight the whole array of thoughts and ideas circling within it, and He arouses it to a longing for spiritual prayer. ~ Evagrius Ponticus

You sort of underestimate the human being when you say that every least thing that is an abstract experience is spiritual. It isn't. It's just your real self. You can be capable of fantastic abstract experiences, right in this life. ~ Agnes Martin

There are times we need a hug. A prayer. A listening ear. The tricky part is that it's not always easy to know when those times will come along. So God made a plan for us to gather, to not neglect meeting together.9 That happens in church, at Sunday school, and in Bible studies, and it happens in our homes - those times when we regularly gather to strengthen the spiritual safety net we all need. ~ Susie Davis

The apostolic gift to the body of Christ brings order and maturity. ~ Sherry K. White

Jesus invites us to abide in his love. That means to dwell with all that I am in him. It is an invitation to a total belonging, to full intimacy, to an unlimited being-with. The light of the Spirit reveals to us that love conquers all fear. ~ Henri Nouwen

When engaging in simple everyday banter and communications, this rule of thumb can really help suppress a lot of our negative word 'vomit' since we often mindlessly chat about the things we don't like. If we refrain from expressing our negative opinions about things unless they're directly asked for, we can train ourselves to respond rather than react the second we see or hear something and then feel we must verbalize our views about it.

Remember, even if we don't agree with someone or something, we can still speak about the subject at hand in a positive light to encourage growth rather than guilty motivation. I like to say I express more "inspirations" than "opinions" with each passing day. ~ Alaric Hutchinson

Let go of what has passed. Let go of what may come. Let go of what is happening now. Don't try to figure anything out. Don't try to make anything happen. Relax, right now, and rest. ~ Tilopa

That deep longing that you keep dismissing as impractical, may be the very thing your soul is calling you to do. ~ Renae A. Sauter

But to me the notion that spirituality is separate from the rest of life does not allow for a practical approach to living a life that has extraordinary quality. ~ Tony Robbins

The darkness had not overcome the light. ~ Lailah Gifty Akita

There has never been a meaningful life built on easy street. ~ John Paul Warren

How little we understand
of the gifts we have been given
or the shape of the path
we took to reach our salvation. ~ Harley King

There is a region beyond reason. Unless you get there, you will not know the sweetness of love, nor the Divine. ~ Jaggi Vasudev

Endurance is spiritual. ~ Lailah Gifty Akita

The poor quality of Christian that grows out of our modern evangelistic meeting may be accounted for by the absence of real repentance accompanying the initial spiritual experience of the converts. And the absence of repentance is the result of an inadequate view of sin and sinfulness held by those who present themselves in the inquiry room. ~ Aiden Wilson Tozer

As persons, so Mournier maintained, we possess both a spiritual and temporal dimension; we exist in history, in relationship with others, but open to transcendence and ultimately to God. This concept of the person, he believed, was denied as much by an atheistic totalitarianism of the Left as by the bourgeois materialism of capitalist society. To the extent that Christianity had become infected by the bourgeois spirit, it had become a prop in what he called, 'the established disorder. ~ Robert Ellsberg

It is one thing to lose people you love. It is another to lose yourself. That is a greater loss. ~ Donna Goddard

Remember, purpose is about giving ... All you can do with your life is to give it away in the service of others. ~ Wayne W. Dyer

In spiritual life there is no room for compromise. Awakening is not negotiable; we cannot bargain to hold on to things that please us while relinquishing things that do not matter to us. A lukewarm yearning for awakening is not enough to sustain us through the difficulties involved in letting go. It is important to understand that anything that can be lost was never truly ours, anything that we deeply cling to only imprisons us. ~ Jack Kornfield

Spirituality cannot be taught;its something very personal that you can experience for yourself. You may give spirit a name- Soul, Light, God, Universe, or even Nothingness- but each of us has to define who we are and what we believe to be spiritual according to our own understanding. ~ Angela Jamal

A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows. ~ Francis Of Assisi

He had the beginning of wrinkles and the easy manner of one who has already made his mistakes. ~ Donald Kingsbury

". . . be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (16:33). Unyielding spiritual fortitude is what we need. ~ Oswald Chambers

We are our ancestors. The spiritual umbilicus is apparent to all. The dead look upon us with the pure love of a mother's gaze. But the dead love is even more because of our flawed flesh and eternal confusion. The removal from form allows for total and complete unconditional love. We carry our dead with us like helium balloons. There is no breaking the umbilicus. ~ Tanya Tagaq