Growing pains are just
that, a pain that occurs as you grow. Fighting stinks and hurts, especially
when there is no resolution and the two people just part and you have to be
patient with God’s timing in it all. What I am realizing, it’s all part of my
growth. Recently, I was engaged in an argument that escalated way out of
control. It started off as a discussion, then a debate, then a full blown, ugly
argument. Can you relate? Has this ever happened to you? There should have
never been an argument to begin with and I am embarrassed and ever so sad about
it. So now I am left asking God to show me and convict my heart where I was
wrong and how He wants me to grow from this. I ask myself, “How does this fit in to who I want to be in Christ?” It doesn’t. But
reconciliation, forgiveness and growth all do. I immediately started praying,
God laid on my heart the verse I used above. If only I could go back in time.
But I can’t, what I can do is arm myself with learning from this and to be
changed and prayerfully the next time I can choose differently. I can guarantee
Satan will provide another opportunity and I pray that I have been sharpened by
this experience. God’s word tells us in 1 Peter 5:8,9 “Be self-controlled and alert.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to
devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith…..” This is one element
that upset me the most; I desire to be more self-controlled when faced with a
challenge like this one. Have you ever felt like this?
Jesus warns us in Matthew
7:1-5 about how we should not try and take a speck out of someone’s eye when we
have a plank in our own eye. First, Jesus tells us we have to remove the plank
from our eye before removing the speck of dust in another person’s eye. Reading
this, I feel like so much of an argument or fight is about judging someone in
the midst of our fight and we are so concerned with removing the dust in their
eye that the plank in our eye gets in our way of making Godly decisions in the
moment. I want to encourage you, to remember these verses next time you are
upset with someone. Seek God in the midst of your feelings, in the midst of the
argument, invite Christ into it. Stop and humble yourselves before God. I know
it can be so very hard to do, but we have to practice it and put our pride
aside. I know amazing growth can come from growing pains like this, but it
still is painful and hurts while I am growing from it. I know God is an
amazing, mighty God who wants us to glorify Him.
Let's
Reflect: Matthew
7:12 “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for
this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” James 4:7,8a,10 “Submit yourselves then
to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He
will come near to you.” “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift
you up.” Proverbs 16:1-4a “To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the LORD
comes the reply of the tongue. All a man’s ways seem innocent to him, but
motives are weighed by the LORD. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your
plans will succeed. The LORD works out everything for His own ends-…”
PRAYER:
Oh, Jesus, how I need your peace right now. Thank you for the conviction and
freedom found in your word. Please show me and grow me, give me the courage to
be humble and banish my pride. I want to bring you honor and glory.
Be Blessed…Be Bold in the
name of Jesus!
Suzanne Williams
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