In Joshua's last moments of life, we get to see the fruit of his maturity throughout the years. Joshua's life was made up of decisions. Even though his heart didn't always desire to do the things the Lord had called him to, the older he got, the more willing he became to walk into those places. When following God begins to be undesirable, we have to reflect on our desires and why they are not pointing to Him. Desires are fleeting, but decisions last. Joshua made his decision to embrace the call upon his life, which led him to finish strong.

The mature me doesn’t just start, the mature me finishes

1. Cultivate Character

When we step out in faith to serve the Lord, we may face challenges and setbacks. While it’s normal to falter and occasionally fall, it’s the speed at which you return to confidence after a setback that is a clear sign of maturity. This ability to ‘bounce back’ is a key aspect of building a strong character - the person you are when no one is watching. Joshua didn’t choose popularity with people as his guide. He chose obedience to God. Instead of looking to please people, make a decision to serve God.

2. Embrace the Call

The book of Joshua reminds us if we don’t love God, we will not serve Him. But it is usually not a lack of love that stops us from serving Him; rather, our desires for things of this world. Maturity in Christ is being willing to be led to places where we don’t want to go and having faith that God always goes first. As we saw Joshua portray, the Bible calls us to seek to please God more than we seek to please man.

Joshua’s famous words are much more than a mantra. They define the faith which makes us into who God has called us to be. Daily, we’re faced with having to choose to be challenged over our comfort. Making difficult decisions forces us to grow and become more like Christ. If we stumble and experience setbacks, God is still good; He never leaves us to walk alone. Rather, He works in us to cultivate strong character and holiness. But it is always our choice to take the first step of surrendering our desires to Him. Then, even when serving God becomes less than desirable, the ‘Mature Me’ lets unshakable faith stand in the gap.