Six Reasons Not to Fear Growth

Although the means to obtaining it is not always desirable, growth is a wonderful end result.

Although the means to obtaining it is not always desirable, growth is a wonderful end result. Click To Tweet

Growth occurs best when well watered, pruned, cultivated, and fertilized. Often requiring great effort and involving pain or discomfort.

I’m fine with putting in effort, but I prefer to avoid the pain and discomfort part.

Yet growth is the word I chose to focus on for 2015. 

Choosing Growth

There are several reasons for it:

First, if I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as my Savior and love Him (and I do), then I will want to become more like Him. That, friend, requires growth.

Second, if I believe God wants us to walk in obedience to Him (and I do), then I had to choose this word as my focus. God doesn’t need my permission to weave a work of growth in my life, but it sure is nice to walk with Him instead of fight against Him. 

Third, if I believe there is victory in Christ (and I do), then I know when I surrender to the Lord, I can have victory over my sin. Who doesn’t want that?

Fourth, if I believe in what I write about (and I do), then I can trust that God’s grace will be more than sufficient to carry me through the hard times of growth. What a powerful truth!

Fifth, if I believe God is good and He has a story for me (and I do), then my story is good, even when it involves struggles and hardship, in other words, vehicles for growth. I truly believe this, even though not all circumstances themselves are good. 

Sixth, if I believe God’s promises that He will never leave or forsake me (and I do), then I can have a peace that I won’t be alone no matter what growth may bring. Peace needs to be anchored in God’s constant presence, not in wavering circumstances. 

Peace needs to be anchored in God’s constant presence, not in wavering circumstances. Click To Tweet

I’ve been struggling in certain areas of my life for years (aren’t we all?). And it seems I continue to repeat the same rotten thoughts, the same rotten actions, the same rotten feelings over and over again.

Frankly, I’m tired of it! I want to become more like Christ. I don’t want my feelings to dictate how I live.

I want to live as one redeemed, not as one dead in sins. I want to live a life of freedom, not one of bondage. 

To be honest, I’m a bit nervous about what growth might bring. But as I look over the reasons for choosing to focus on this one word, I become more certain of being kept and met in the coming year. 

That alone is growth! 

So I place my trust in the Author of my good story, the Savior of my soul, the Redeemer of my life. I will place my concerns in the hands of the One who knows me better than I know myself and let Him carry them for me.

And I will look to you, my faithful friends, to support and encourage me in my surrender to growth.

Your Turn

I encourage you also to pursue growth, even if it’s not your One Word. Reflect on the six reasons I chose it as my centering word, come up with even more reasons of your own, and live challenged and filled this year. 

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”  2 Peter 3:18

Reflections: What has brought you your greatest growth this past year? 

And I’m excited to begin another year recording blessings. Since beginning over 3 years ago, I’ve counted more than 3,500 gifts in Ann Voskamp’s Joy Dare! What a blessing! So here we go in 2015: #3513–3533, read my entire list by clicking here.

By His grace ≈

Julie