True growth often requires pain and discomfort. I’ve experienced this in my own life when I struggled through a major bout of anxiety and depression. Before that time in my life, my relationship with God was a very casual, distant one. I prayed sometimes, read my Bible occasionally, and was attending church regularly. But when anxiety and depression hit in such a severe way, I was brought to my knees (literally and figuratively). I couldn’t get enough of God and His Word. Out of that very painful time, God grew me in so many ways. My relationship with Him grew. My relationships with family and friends grew because remaining isolated was no longer an option.
Each year I choose a word, or more accurately, God chooses a word for me to focus on for the year. I’ve been doing this for at least five years, and every year I am surprised to find what God does in my life around that word is very different from what I expected. I’ve now learned to let go of my expectations and let the Lord lead me. I trust that whatever he has me walk through, he will be right there guiding me and holding me up. He will use that word to change me somehow, to help me grow closer to Him, and to bring glory to His name.
In the fall, God kept laying the word “grow” on my heart. I thought it sounded good. After-all, who wants to stay stagnant? Who doesn’t want better things for their lives? But then after a couple months of thinking about it, I realized “Hey, wait, growth requires me to be in uncomfortable situations. It usually requires me to do things that are really scary, things I would never do unless God clearly led me to do it.” This caused me to re-examine my word, but ultimately God won out and my word for 2020 is “grow”. I’m already facing uncomfortable situations, things I’ve never faced before, and we’re only 4 weeks into the year. The verse God gave me for the year may not seem like it goes with the idea of growth, but it absolutely does. It will be familiar for many of you.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2a
Hebrews 12:1-2a (NIV)
Growth requires us to rid ourselves of anything that hinders us or entangles us. Growth requires perseverance through difficult things. I can easily be hindered by distraction (social media, anyone?), my own selfish desires, lies the enemy tells me, and the list could go on. The point is we must learn to be intentional about getting rid of those things that block our growth. Persevering through hard things is often painful.
When I went through that season of severe anxiety and depression, I had to learn perseverance. I wanted God to just take it away. I even asked my doctor for an anti-depressant. But, in her wisdom, she wouldn’t prescribe one, at least not right away. It was more than 6 months of struggling and growing through the discomfort before the decision was made to take medication. Even then, it wasn’t a cure-all. There was still work to be done on my part in order to heal. I continued to grow through the process of healing and while I can’t say I’m one hundred percent free of anxiety and depression, I am much freer than I was nine years ago when it all started.
With the pain and discomfort of growth comes reward. Out of my time of struggle came a deep and abiding relationship with God, amazing friendships, and a ministry I didn’t know I wanted to lead.
Maybe you’re in a season of discomfort now. Instead of trying to get around it, choose to go through it with God at your side. You might be amazed at what life looks like on the other side.
Lord, thank You for the opportunity to grow, because even though it means discomfort, I know it also means I’m walking out the calling you’ve placed on my life. It means that others will be positively affected by what you’re doing in my life. Be with those in a tough, growing season. Give them strength, comfort, and boldness to continue moving forward through the discomfort and pain. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!
Patti Miinch says
Your words were like a mirror, reflecting my own very, very similar life story. Thank you for sharing, for encouraging. You speak truth with such eloquence.