By Pastor Claude Thomas
We celebrate the “firsts” in our children’s lives? Remember the “first word” or the “first day at school” or the “first date” or…well you know. Those were special for us and we celebrated each “first” in the lives of our children. Why? They were steps of progress in the process of growing into adulthood… and we celebrate that growth.
There is not a time in life that we should stop growing. So, we should be celebrating each step of growth in our lives. There is never a time to stop.
When David, the great king of Israel, sat back on his reputation, stopped growing towards God’s best for Him, guess what? We find him out on a balcony in the cool of the evening looking on Bathsheba, another man’s wife, while she bathed. Then, he basically murdered Bathsheba’s husband, then he married Bathsheba—bad deal.
The consequences of stalling the growth progress in our lives are not likely to have the disastrous results they did in David’s life but there are consequences when we stop growing. Stagnancy set in. Boredom becomes bothersome. Depression drains us. Cynicism can consume us. And the lack of passion for life can characterize us.
So, continual growth is essential for us. You may be thinking we grow in leaps and bounds in the crises of life. In other words, there are times in life when we get an “adrenaline shot” that motivates us to the next level. Some call these times “new year resolution.” Some call these “near death experiences.” But whatever the situation, we think these “adrenaline shots” are the only times for growing. Not true.
Growth is a continual process that we should never stop! When we stop growing, we start dying.
Here are some guidelines concerning growth as a process:
Make Growth a lifetime goal…that takes obedience.
Make Growth a continual process… that takes an understanding.
Make Growth a lifetime discipline… that takes determination.
Start from the Inside Out…be biblically guided. Grow within first. Most fail to be their best because of inner issues. Our spiritual growth affects all other growth in life. So, make spiritual/inner growth the first priority.
Start early…as a young person, begin now and you will have an advantage.
Start small…do something you can do and move to something more. Remember a small plan will make a big difference. Most people have no growth plan at all.
Start now…A. Lincoln said, “I will get ready and then perhaps my chance will come.” Start wherever you are in life to make your spiritual and personal growth a priority.