Pursuing Growth in Every Spiritual Season
Half-asleep I reluctantly rolled over as I heard the all-too-familiar, “pat, pat, pat, pat, swoooossshhh” sound coming into our bedroom. Even at four-years-old, my son still manages to wake in the night and quietly walk into our room dragging his lovey behind him.
I’d be lying if I said my husband and I had easily and happily accepted this fate. After months and months of re-sleep-training, doctor’s calls, sleepless nights on the floor in his room, and gallons of coffee, we caved and started pulling him into our bed after a conversation with a dear friend. I’ll never forget what he told us.
He wisely stated, “One day will be the last day he sleeps in your bed. You used to change his diapers, and now he’s potty-trained. You used to nurse him, and now he eats what you eat. You used to carry him, and now he runs everywhere he goes. He’s growing, and will grow out of this, too.”
I knew this to be true. As a mom, I’ve seen the coming and going of seasons in my children’s lives, and I’ve seen the growth he referenced. But, as I continued to ponder his words, the Lord gently reminded me it’s not only my children who need growth. As a follower of Jesus, I should grow as I walk through spiritual seasons as well.
These words from Hebrews 5:13-14 flooded my mind: “for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
Here, the author of Hebrews almost scolds his Jewish-Christian audience for their lack of maturity. He writes they should be teachers by this point, but instead need to be taught (v. 12). They are stuck drinking milk when they should eat solid food.
Immediately, I took an in-depth look at my own life. Am I skilled in the word of righteousness? Have I trained my powers of discernment through constant practice? Am I drinking milk when I should be eating meat? Is there growth in my life?
The beauty of growth is it doesn’t happen immediately. Growth is a process expressed by Christ-centered determination and dependence on God. It is a minute-by-minute decision to pursue things of the Lord instead of things of the world. Growth is slow, steady, and only visible on the other side of the season.
So, as I spend yet another night listening to a young boy drag his lovey to my room, I’m choosing to remember he’s growing and so am I.
Friend, are you more like Jesus today than you were yesterday? Maybe God’s calling you to pursue growth in this season, too.
