Day 16: Growing Pains

1 Peter 1:6-7

..,.though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

 
Have you ever experienced growing pains? Yes, it's
painful but necessary.

Without growing pains we would be held back. A lack of growth in medical terms would be considered as "failure to thrive."

I can understand growing pains...I remember being in the supermarket with my mom one Saturday afternoon when I felt a pain in the back of my legs. As we continued traveling up and down the aisles the pain intensified to
the point where I could barely walk.
Every aisle seemed to go on for miles even though my mom
assured me we were almost done.

This week, I have experienced growing pains. My week has been very challenging and I've found myself counting down the days in anticipation to the end of the Manna Principle experiment.

 

The familiar pains have returned but this time they are

spiritual instead of physical. 

The pains of change from control and self-dependance to surrender and trust. A notion that is not in keeping with American culture but certainly with Kingdom culture.   

I need to remember that I'm on a journey to find a deeper trust in my Maker and discover a new way to live daily. Complaining about not wanting to do this and wishing for the end of these 40 days isn't the faithful thing to do, is it?

My journey has been interesting so far, as I find a lot of similarities between me and the Isrealites.  It began with the excitement of a project that was fresh and full of expectations. I can imagine it was the same way the Isrealites felt after the parting of the Red Sea.  

When hardship came, they looked back and craved their old lifestyle back.

They would rather have been slaves than endure difficult times. I now have more compassion on them then ever before.

 

 

Growing pains hurt but without them we don't grow.

 It indicates a stage in time, a growth process.

So I recognize that through this Manna Principle Project, God is stretching me and I am growing in ways that I never expected. His character of grace shines through all the more as I see Him patiently leading me through my growing pains more and more into His image.

Are you experiencing the growing pains of faith's challenges?
If so, don't look back, surrender to the process and trust that God will lead you through.