But I’m an Adult!

How often have you said or thought, “But I’m an adult!” How often have you heard someone else say it?

Usually, this comes from those who are 18-20 or someone who has been told they cannot or should not do something. 

Those in the first group try to prove their adulthood, maturity, responsibility, and respectability with that statement. 

The second group uses it as an excuse to do what they want. 

These groups can overlap. 

Young adults may say it to their parents as a means of reminding the parents that they are not the recognized authority anymore. Someone may say it to a friend when confronted with sin or a mistake they don’t want to repent of or take responsibility for. 

However, I want to remind you that none of us outgrow God and His rules and authority. 

Now, I do not look at God or the Bible as a killjoy or a list of do’s and don’ts, and you shouldn’t either. But God does have rules in His Word for us to live by. Just as our earthly parents had rules that protected us, God does, too. We have the freedom to obey these rules or not; that choice is ultimately left up to us. And just as our parents rewarded us with positive or negative consequences depending on our obedience or lack thereof, God does, too. 

There are rules, or commands, given in Scripture that we should live by. 

God desires His children to live in a way that honors Him and shows the world that He alone offers what they seek: love, joy, peace, hope, and acceptance. 

God wants all of us to experience these things. He created us with those needs, but He alone can truly satisfy our souls. As Christians, you and I should want to use our lives to obey the Lord so others can see His goodness through us. 

Unfortunately, too many Christians want to say, “But I’m an adult!” instead of “Lord, help me to lay down my selfish sinful desires.”

One area where I see this often is in single adults. Whether they’ve never been married or there’s been a divorce or death of a spouse. They get into the dating scene and date like the world. They choose to live together and have sex before marriage because “they’re adults.” This should not be how God’s children date!

Another area is adult children who still live in their parents’ homes. As a mother, I am not for kicking your children out the day they turn 18. But I am for children of all ages honoring their parents because God said to (Ephesians 6:2).

The problem is we stop living by the house rules in search of freedom. 

We forget (or ignore) the law of sowing and reaping. 

We convince ourselves that God doesn’t see our secret sins. 

We fall into the devil’s lie that freedom is only found outside of boundaries. 

We trade freedom for bondage.

Friend, God does not give us boundaries to make us miserable. God gives us boundaries to keep us safe. There is freedom in boundaries. There is safety in boundaries. There are blessings in boundaries. 

The devil spoke to Eve all those years ago, offering her an alternative to God’s boundary. He spoke of freedom, empowerment, and enlightenment. Yet, the result was bondage, brokenness, and benightedness. The devil is a deceiver, and we must recognize his lies rather than fall prey to them. 

God loves you so very much. He is the Good Shepherd who cares for His sheep. He seeks to guide, nurture, teach, and heal if we will only trust Him. 

God is a God of order and holiness. He will not be mocked. But just as equally, He is love, grace, and mercy. He wants you to trust Him, regardless of how grown you are. You will never reach a point when God says He will no longer be there for you. 

It’s great to be an adult and experience the earthly freedoms and experiences that come with adulthood, but may we never seek to outgrow God and His leading in our lives.

Stay in the Word, stay close to the Shepherd, and let Him lead you in paths of righteousness. 

With Hope in His Service, 

Heather