Birth through adolescence is marked by one recurring event: growing pains. Some we don’t remember like teething and some of that muscle and bone soreness that accompanies adolescent growth. Some of it we might, like the emotional ups and downs we experienced in our teens.
As kids we accepted the pain, most likely because we had no choice in the matter. But those difficult times brought stronger bodies and emotional stability.
Physically, once we reach adulthood, the growing pains are over. (Well, except for the frustration over maintaining our waistline.) However, as Christians we should be growing all the time, for Paul tells us that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God promises growth.
Now granted we can stifle the growing process as we see when the writer of Hebrews chastises his listeners for still requiring the spiritual milk of infancy instead of the meat of maturity (5:12-14), but what spiritual growth means for us is that at one time or another we will experience growing pains.
Some of our Christian growth will be joyful as we can see in this prayer of Paul’s: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight. . .” (Philippians 1:9).
At other times we might experience some pain with that joy: “We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
But at other times the process is just painful. Sometimes because of God’s need to discipline us: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).
Sometimes because of sacrifice: "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 8:34-35).
Though our physical growing pains might be in our past, our spiritual ones are not. But remember the old cliche which so appropriately says, “No pain. No gain.”
As kids we accepted the pain, most likely because we had no choice in the matter. But those difficult times brought stronger bodies and emotional stability.
Physically, once we reach adulthood, the growing pains are over. (Well, except for the frustration over maintaining our waistline.) However, as Christians we should be growing all the time, for Paul tells us that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” God promises growth.
Now granted we can stifle the growing process as we see when the writer of Hebrews chastises his listeners for still requiring the spiritual milk of infancy instead of the meat of maturity (5:12-14), but what spiritual growth means for us is that at one time or another we will experience growing pains.
Some of our Christian growth will be joyful as we can see in this prayer of Paul’s: “And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight. . .” (Philippians 1:9).
At other times we might experience some pain with that joy: “We also have joy with our troubles, because we know that these troubles produce patience. And patience produces character, and character produces hope. (Romans 5:3-4)
But at other times the process is just painful. Sometimes because of God’s need to discipline us: “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11).
Sometimes because of sacrifice: "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me” (Matthew 8:34-35).
Though our physical growing pains might be in our past, our spiritual ones are not. But remember the old cliche which so appropriately says, “No pain. No gain.”
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