Character. Our destiny in Christ is our character - who we are in Christ. Hopefully each one of us will have character growth the rest of our lives.
This is the first of two areas that God wants excellence in.
Our spiritual maturity and our artistic maturity go hand and hand. We need both. Lacking maturity in either area distracts those we're trying to minister to and prevents the Lord from working through us. Our character carries more weight though, because it affects more than just our ministry. It also affects our relationship with God, our family, our jobs, our witness - everything in our life.
Right along side character is integrity.
Rory Noland has a great definition. "Character is who we are, while integrity is obedience to God."
In other words, it is doing what God says in His Word and as the Spirit directs. What kind of integrity standards would you expect (or hope!) from a deacon, elder, or our pastor? Now apply those standards to yourself! I'm not suggesting legalism, but we should expect as much righteousness, holiness, spiritual sensitivity, and obedience out of ourselves as we do from any other Christian. The good news is that God will develop our character (if we let Him). The bad news is that it happens when we go through testing and tribulation! The circumstances don't make the man, they reveal him. The Lord tests the righteous. I've surprised myself many times when I thought I had matured in an area of my character, but then the Lord revealed my immaturity through a circumstance. But, every time He works on me, I grow. So don't resist the correction from the Lord, submit to it even if it hurts!
So where do you stand? Begin seeking the Lord on areas He wants you to grow and submit to Him. He knows where you stand more than you do and He also knows where He wants to take you. This is a life-long process! Make it a habit! Christ already did the hard work and God will show you the way. All He needs is your willing heart and obedience.
"God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called."