How Long Will It take for me to learn the things and skills I need to know in order for me to be functioning as a relationally mature adult or parent?
This question implies that I am taking some training or a class that I am able to master in a period of time such as a 6 week course. After the course I can go back to living as I was with a few new insights and behavioral changes. This is not the case.
Maturing relationally means that I will never again be the “infant” or “child” that I am when I start maturing. I will have some of the strengths of each level of maturity but I will continue to mature until I am a mature relational “adult” and a mature relational “parent”. I will never be the same trapped in my immature relational state. The relational portion of the right half of my brain will continue to grow until it occupies up to a third of my brain capacity.
It will take time as I practice living and learning skills in all areas of life and letting old thought patterns and false realities die. I then allow new realities and healthy adult and parent relational skills to develop and become a part of the new more relationally mature person that God had in mind when He created me.
If I really want to mature, I can and will. I am actually learning to be relational as Jesus is. It is interesting to note that Jesus did not totally rely on his own brain while on earth. He said, “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” John 5:19.
So, as I mature, I continue to do all of life in a more healthy and relationally mature way! I am a new creation!