Growing Pains

Have you got some little ache or a sharp little pain that wasn't there before? It may not be age-related, or from the work you did around the house this weekend. It might be growing pains.

If God is leading you in new directions, or taking you down a difficult path, He is also doing a work in your life.

If He is drawing you closer to Him, He is asking you to yield new areas of your heart, your mind, your life to Him.

As He takes you deeper into the walk of the Spirit, He will show you things that He wants you to do. These will be things you have never done before. You will need to turn to God and ask Him for the tools, the resources, the wisdom, the faith to do them.

Mark 6
v.35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late.
v.36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
v.37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages ! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”

Walking in new light after God gives you a revelation requires a new dedication and an adjustment to a new type of path. It is often a narrower path, and sometimes a rougher path, perhaps steeper or more rocky. It will be something God has prepared you for, but it still has to be walked out so that your muscles will stretch and strengthen and your reflexes will develop to handle the new circumstances.

Matthew 8
v.23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
v.24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
v.25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
v.26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

Following Jesus, being a disciple of the Master, requires discipline. Each lesson is followed by a new lesson, building on the previous one. We can never get comfortable, relaxed, satisfied, complacent with where we are or what we have learned, because He isn't finished with us yet. We have a lot of ground to cover and just enough time to learn everything we need, if we don't waste any more of it.

Jesus, Teacher, Master, we have committed ourselves to follow You, and be Your disciple. We trust You, Lord, because You have proven Your love and promised to never leave us or forsake us. Thank You for taking us because of our availability, not our ability. When stretching causes us pain, we give You thanks that we are counted worthy of enduring this for Your sake, for it is Your work we are engaged in. Complete Your work in us, Father, of transforming us into the image of Your Son, that all the world may see Him, and know that He is Lord – there is so much left to do, Lord! Thank You that You are able, and willing, to commit Yourself to us for that purpose! You are worthy, Lord! We exalt You, the Lamb of God, source of all love, grace, and mercy.

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