Growing up in faith - Coco's testimony
In this message, Coco shares a heartfelt reflection from 1 Timothy 4 about what true maturity in faith looks like—not perfection, but surrender. Through her story, she shows how God transformed her striving for holiness into humble dependence on His strength, and how spiritual maturity shapes not only our own lives but also those around us.
Maturity Means Letting Go of Myself
Coco begins with Paul’s charge in 1 Timothy 4:12:
“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”
At first, she imagined holiness as a flawless person radiating light. In her words, “I even asked ChatGPT to generate an image of a faceless person in white clothing, standing on clouds.” That was her version of what she thought a perfect Christian looked like.
But as she reflected, Coco realized that image didn’t exist. It represented how she used to tackle life—through effort and self-reliance. Whether it was learning to skip rope as a child or rapping for a school election, she approached challenges with determination and pride. When things went well, she believed she earned it. When things didn’t, she felt crushed.
She admits that her attitude even shaped how she read Scripture. “I was viewing 1 Timothy 4:12 through the lens of my own capabilities,” she said. “But God wanted to show me a different way—not through my power, but through His.”
That realization came when she was confronted by her own sins. “I felt like nothing,” she confessed. “So I prayed, ‘God, I give up.’” It was in that moment of brokenness that God began to rebuild her.
Coco found new meaning in the story of the tax collector from Luke 18:13:
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’”
That image—of someone lowly, repentant, and desperate for mercy—became her picture of maturity. “It’s not about keeping your head high,” she said. “It’s about hanging your head low and relying on God’s strength.”
She points to Philippians 2:6–8, where Jesus humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. “Jesus’ sacrifice shows that human strength cannot save. Only God can,” she reflected. “Even when I disobey Him daily, He still loves me enough to die for me.”
Through this, Coco learned that maturity is not tied to age or ability but to humility. It begins when we stop trying to be perfect and start depending on God completely.
Maturity Is Required Because It Affects Others
Her second point comes from 1 Timothy 4:16:
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
During a difficult season, Coco admits she often ran away from her problems through endless scrolling on her phone. “It would start with funny clips, but I’d end up deep in movie summaries,” she said with a laugh. “Afterward, I just felt worse.”
She realized her actions weren’t just hurting her—they were affecting others. When she lost her joy and gratitude, the people around her felt it too.
“How I live and what I believe matters,” she said. “Because my actions, words, and decisions come from those beliefs.”
Coco challenges everyone to reflect:
- What are your beliefs?
- Where do your beliefs come from?
She imagines 1 Timothy 4:16 as a magnifying glass, urging believers to examine every part of life closely. This daily self-check, she says, is necessary because of our sinful nature, as described in Romans 7:17–19. “I have the desire to do what is good,” she quoted, “but I cannot carry it out.”
To stay aligned with God, Coco learned to come to Him daily in prayer and Scripture, as in Psalm 1:2:
“But whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.”
She illustrates this through a personal story. Recently, Coco realized she hadn’t been loving to her mother. After reading a book about blessing parents, she prayed, “God, make my mom the happiest ajumma in Sydney.”
A few days later, her mother initiated a conversation, and they reconciled. “When she sat me down, I thought, ‘Wow, God answered my prayer,’” Coco said. “Even during the talk, I could feel the Holy Spirit helping me to listen and be humble.”
Through prayer, God changed her heart and healed their relationship. “This is how I persevere,” she shared. “Prayer realigns my beliefs, brings me back to God, and teaches me to love others. That’s what it means to ‘save both yourself and your hearers.’”
Conclusion
Coco ends with a confession: she hesitated to preach on 1 Timothy 4:12 because she often fails to live it out. “It felt hypocritical,” she said. “But that’s exactly why I needed to share it. Without God, I can’t love or live rightly. He is my strength and my home.”
She closes with a call to action:
“Sometimes you are in a dark and lonely place, but I urge you to let go of yourself. Sin has an answer within us, but forgiveness can only come from God. No more running away, no more excuses. Do it for yourself, and do it for the people around you. God will save both of you. He is waiting.”
