Weaned Spirituality

"...to the weaned child his mother is his comfort though she has denied him comfort. It is a blessed mark of growth our of spiritual infancy when we forgo the joys which once appeared to be essential, and can find our solace in Him who denies them to us."

The above is Eugene Peterson is quoting Charles Spurgeon in "Long Obedience in the Same Direction." He is commenting on Psalm 131 and talking about the need for God to wean us off of those comforts and blessings that we at one point depended on for our spiritual health. God does this so we can move toward spiritual maturity. The metaphor held in parallel is the John 15 discussion on pruning.

If we are going to grow up God is going to have to wean us off infantile comforts and the securities of the weak. It was once appropriate for Julian to drink from a bottle before he grew teeth. It is highly inappropriate for Lucas, now 4, to drink out of a bottle.

Do we want to grow and use our teeth or not?

Do we want to be stretched, grown, matured? Do we want to go through the painful, frustrating process of being weaned? Sadly we God begin to prune us we too often think the cutting is the result of God's absence or God's punishment for our wrongdoing.

The mother does not wean the child to punish it. The gardner does not prune to mutilate an unruly rose bush. These are done that growth may occur.

That is why Lent is so important. We fast. We pray. We repent. We wean ourselves off those things we have for too long depended on. We put down the milk, pick up a fork, and begin to sink our teeth into something of substance.

So, what are you depending on for peace, security, comfort, identity, etc. that is no longer appropriate for a Christian of your age? In what ways is God cutting you back so that your roots can grow deeper and great fruit may be produced in you and through you?

Shawn