As a new mom, a friend of mine regularly reported sleeplessness. Sipping hot drinks while her infant alternated between fussing and sleeping, she told me how it had occurred to her one late, loud night that her baby was doing his job:
He was growing.
The sweet little guy didn’t understand what was happening as his adorable cheeks filled out and squirming legs got longer. He didn’t have any way to communicate his needs or frustrations except for fussing.
Listening to her gentle wisdom and his soft murmurs as he settled into her arms, it struck me that my growing is often done with kicking and tears too.
Growth is uncomfortable. Change, though we long for it, is jarring while it happens.
As God’s own children, though, we are invited to:
“Grow in grace.” –2 Peter 3:18
It’s striking that this is God’s invitation.
More often, we presume He’d like us to:
- Grow in guilt.
- Grow in obligation.
- Grow in fame.
- Grow in perfection.
- Grow in contentment.
We tend to act as if God doesn’t know it takes some adjusting to walk on longer legs. As if He isn’t aware it takes some time to get used to new routines when we lose a loved one, move, or say “yes” to a different opportunity to serve Him.
To us, grace is reserved for the “no”s of life, not the “yes”s.
- Fail in grace.
- Resign in grace.
- Settle in grace.
- Pretend in grace.
- Backpeddle in grace.
But again, we face the wonderful truth.
God says:
“Grow in grace.” –2 Peter 3:18
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I am studying the Wilderness experience for an upcoming retreat, and keep being jolted into the awareness of the GOOD that God intends for us in that time.
He really does!!
What an apt illustration. My middle son used to wake up in the night saying his legs hurt. Our doctor said it was “just growing pains.” We kept asking are you sure??? I guess he was right since my son doesn’t have them any more. It makes sense that anything that grows is going to feel uncomfortable in the process. I love the contrast you presented between what we think we should grow in and what God wants us to grow in. And the reminder that God knows growth and change are going to take adjusting.
So grateful God knows it all takes adjusting! Thanks for joining and sharing!
Grow in grace. A good word for us all, Bethany. His grace is sufficient for all our needs.
Amen! Thanks, Debbie!
Truly thought provoking-I never thought of grace this way before. Thank you.
Thanks, Jan! Glad to see you here!
I love this Bethany. I had really never stopped to consider what it means to grow in grace. I guess I thought it had solely to do with extending grace to others; but not so much myself.
And, of course, He knows we need time to adjust. But somehow I never thought of that, either.
Thanks!
He does know! Thanks for stopping by and sharing!
Growth has often been painful for me….but the flip-side is that through that pain, God’s grace, love & strength were only a prayer away. I may have learned much about myself in those seasons, however the knowledge I gained about the Nature of God was immeasurable.
I can identify with that! Praise God for growing us in grace!
A beautiful analogy to the baby growing, Bethany. And I love your lists of what we don’t want to grow in compared to growing in God’s grace!
What a refreshing reminder, Bethany! As a favorite verse says, “God knows how we are formed and remembers that we are dust.” I’ve been reading a book lately and have found myself telling the author multiple times, “give yourself grace.” What a comfort to realize that God includes grace among the supplies he knows we need as we’re growing.
I think God’s grace is truly so amazing that we have a hard time grasping it.