Hello, and welcome to another post on Grace to Inspire! This week, as a guest writer for my beautiful wife, I want to continue talking about growth. I also want us to consider Second Peter 3:18, which says, "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
When we talk about growth what are we referring to?
As a Christian, first and foremost, we know that growth is vital in our relationship with Jesus Christ. What it means to grow in that relationship is to take on more and more of Christ’s character. We want to be more like Him in our actions and even in our thoughts and feelings.
Growth is also important even in other areas of our life. We may want to grow in our relationship with our spouse, or grow in our career, or any other number of things.
However, one thing we do know is that growth is difficult!
I was listening to a podcast a few weeks back where they were talking about health and nutrition and I learned something I never really knew before and was surprised to learn. That fact was that it is possible to eat healthy too much!
This is actually a term in biology called hormesis. Hormesis is the cells adaptive reaction to moderate, intermittent stresses. These stresses will actually break down our cells. That sounds bad, but the cells react by building themselves back. However, when they build back, they build back stronger than they were before!
If you eat too health you don’t give your body the chance to build back strong.
Also, when you understand what body builders do, you know they are actually putting their muscles under stress to the point that they break down. However, as you break your muscle down through lifting weights they build back bigger and stronger.
Now imagine if a body builder one day decided to quite exercising. Over time they would actually start to lose muscle mass and shrink!
The same is true for us as we consider growth in our lives. Growth doesn’t come through ease and comfort. Growth comes through difficulties, discomfort, and stresses. Many times when we are in the middle of problems and stress we are thinking, “God, why are you allowing this to happen?” The simple answer to the question “Why?” is also one word, “Growth!”
Conclusion
Times of trial are times of growth. As long as we act in the way we should, we will come out stronger!
So this week, if you are going through difficulty in any area of life keep in mind that God’s plan for you is always for you to come out stronger than you were before!
Stay Blessed!
Image Credit
Simon Wilkes
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