“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” - John C. Maxwell. When it comes to growth, it can be uncomfortable, painful, and even irritating. I look at growth the way I look at going to the gym; working out can be challenging and dreadful, but if you do it right, you’ll be sore for a few days and it will hurt, but when the soreness is gone, your muscles will be stronger than they were before and will be able to endure more strain. A person shouldn’t have the option to grow, they should make it a priority. Growing physically, mentally, and spiritually will make you the person God needs you to be. The comfort zone is what will limit you from achieving the dreams given to you by God.
In the past few weeks, growth has been a huge part of my life. I moved out of my parent’s house and moved into a house with 4 other guys and we needed to figure out what chores need to be done daily, and we also needed to establish rules. I have been learning how to successfully manage my time and to prioritize habits. I have been learning how to live with other people in the house and how to be selfless in our shared space. I can keep rambling on and on about the things I have had to learn and correct in these few weeks alone in all areas of my life, and…it kind of hurts. It may be because of moving out of my home to live with other people or because of the other changes going on with adjusting to taking care of a house, but I know this is going to benefit me and I know this will help me build character. And don’t get me wrong, there have been times I did not want to do anything for anyone and wanted to do some things my way, but God was there for me when I needed him, and that made me realize that he is always there to rely on. I was too busy with myself trying to do things with my strength when I need to do everything with God’s strength. Without God’s strength, we are limited in our capabilities, so we need God’s strength to help us out and do the extraordinary.
Along with some hurt, there are also a few things that accompany growth that I have picked up on recently: humility and self-awareness. It was humbling to find out that I can’t do everything with my strength because, with God’s strength, He can do more through me than I ever could imagine. It also takes self-awareness to be able to see where I am lacking in my life and to ask God to correct my faults. Growing as a person physically, mentally, and spiritually can be very difficult to pursue daily, but that is what we are called for and that is how we should live our life for God.
