Maturity🌱

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things - 1 Corinthians 13:11

As a teenager this scripture resonated so deeply with me for reasons I’m yet to understand. As I share my story, I would sometimes highlight that I had to mature more quickly than most. I was exposed to a lot that I shouldn’t have been as a child, that was my reality. Which made my childhood a lot less enjoyable. I had to make decisions on my own and my thought process at the time was, I didn’t have anyone to listen. Everyone seemed too busy, so I made less than ideal choices as you could imagine.

I often wished I got to enjoy my childhood a bit more but, I’ve accepted that this is my reality for a reason. These touch points are the areas God uses when I speak to children and parents. So though I had to mature mentally and somewhat emotionally, I would also compartmentalize. If I ignored it enough, that would mean it didn’t happen😩. Yes I had a lot to learn, still learning.

Now, as a child of God, He gives me fresh perspective not just about my life and experiences but about who He has called me to be in the earth. And as such, this started year long conversations, many that consisted of me kicking and screaming because I didn’t want to do what He asked me to. He would patiently wait for my tantrums to subside and remind me I still had to do as He said. 🥹

Whether it was to apologize, tell someone I forgave them, reach out to someone that was unkind to me etc, each moment and interaction healed me in some form or fashion. Today I’m grateful I obeyed.

An analogy is coming to my mind to share. Imagine there’s a coach and he has a team of athletes filled with potential. This one athlete however doesn’t put in the effort to train, stick to the diet required, easily offended and has little interpersonal skills. Some people would move on with those who are willing and leave that challenging athlete behind. I’m here to tell you, YOU and I have or will be that challenging athlete, the coach is God. While others may have given up on you and told you the worst things He never did. He saw the potential He placed in you and He wasn’t going to let that go to waste.

So He placed you in various situations, allowed you to meet certain people, opened various doors etc. Nothing about your life is a surprise to God, it may be to you but NEVER to Him. It was Him this entire time, protecting, shielding, and guiding you Sometimes we just need a shift in perspective. One that has helped me over the years is switching from “why is this happening to me?” To “God what are you trying to teach me?”. Painful situations do not mean that God loves you any less. The Bible says He chastens those He loves.

God is calling you higher, you know He is. I know the unknown seems daunting that’s okay. God will be with you every step of the way, just as He has been with me. Trust Him. It’s time to GROW🌸

Blessings💙

I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. - John 15:1-2