Growing Pains
Joshua is going through a growth spurt. That means he’s up every 2-3 hours at night to feed. It’s exhausting but extraordinary watching him develop – yesterday, he started to wave good-bye; today, he can sit up from lying down. He’s also almost fully crawling on his hands and knees instead of combat-crawling, and almost able to pull himself up into a standing position. Perhaps after gnawing though a few more boxes of teething rusks, he will also grow a second tooth.
Growth takes time. It takes practice. It takes effort. It takes understanding that change happens in increments and cycles and at its own pace.
When it comes to spiritual growth, character development, or relationship intimacy, we can become impatient and discouraged when change seems impossible. But don’t give up – the growing pains will lead to a growth spurt:
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:7-10, NIV).
Keep sowing, watering, weeding, and fertilising the heart, life, and relationships – when autumn comes, the harvest will be beautiful.
by: Jinha Kim
"But those who drink the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14