As a kid, I remember hearing my parents refer to “growing pains.” Having a “growth spurt.” I remember distinctly the thought passing through my young mind, does growing hurt; can I feel my bones stretching when I’m laying down in bed at night?!
And occasionally when I would feel an ache or a twinge (no doubt a bruise after a hard day’s play), my young mind would wonder, “is that a growing pain I feel?”
I maxed out pretty early; barely hitting 5’3”. I’ve definitely been a recipient of “I didn’t realize you were so short” when people meet me in person. But this discussion really has nothing to do with height, and everything to do with growth.
With the discomfort of growth.
Specifically, the importance of discomfort.
Being a kid is full of cringe worthy, uncomfortable moments. But wow, is it full of growth. With the discomfort comes opportunity to learn. Every tear I’ve wiped from my daughter’s eye comes with a teachable moment. I’m not always the best at recognizing the moments right away, but I’m slowly learning how to catch those precious tears and turn even the ugliest moments into something more. Being a kid is the best, but it’s far from comfortable- that’s why parental roles exist; to provide security and a sense of comfort.
But it’s in that discomfort, in that stretching, in that place of uncertain vulnerability-
It’s there’s where growth occurs.
Where the teaching happens.
Maybe as “fully grown” adults, we’re too comfortable.
We’ve grown too comfortable in some aspects of our lives. It’s not that we welcome discomfort, but when it descends, it can force us to re-examine “the way things have to be.”
We all have patterns of behavior.
Many of these patterns and routines subconsciously influence our thinking. We may not even realize how set we are in our ways until the circumstances change and we are forced to part with an element of confortable routine. For some of us, this may at first be panic inducing (raising my hand here). In the end, it can be liberating. Finding that we have the capacity to stretch and grow and find new ways to do things? That’s kind of cool.
Maybe we as humans are more adaptable and more capable than we thought.
Another note on growth, as an adult. How many times have I told myself that I “just don’t have the capacity for new things right now,” or for a change in routine? Actually, I think my specific phrase (friends and family, I am guilty of saying this I’m sure)-
“I’m maxed out right now.”
In effect, saying “no room for growth.” Translation, so much on my plate, that I cannot imagine adding one more thing. I will drop the plate. It will shatter. Or everything will fall off of the plate, and it will be an absolute mess, and I already have mess on top of mess.
Then lo and behold, life shoved me into a new situation with a whole new plate of”stuff.” But guess what? I think I’m learning something, and it’s that feeling “maxed out” may mean something different.
Perhaps being maxed out means we need to take a step back and see if we need to shift our focus. See what isn’t working.
Is there really too much on your plate— do we need to take something off?
Or, is the ground uneven? Are we having balance issues?
Are you even standing on two feet, or trying to hop up and down on one foot (I don’t even know what that means in terms of an analogy. Just throwing it out there.)
Or are you holding a flimsy plate soaked in spaghetti sauce?
Or maybe the plate is too heavy, or no one is helping clear your plate?
Or maybe you need to set that gosh darn plate down, and walk away.
Maybe some heaping disrespect is being served onto your plate, and it’s just being piled higher... and higher... and higher. Set that plate down, sister.
Because sometimes growth is the uncomfortable thing.
And it hurts, but you can be proud.
Just like your kid... doing the hard thing with his or her little head held high.
With our unchanging, sovereign God as our strength— always.
"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging."
Psalm 46:1-3
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."
Isaiah 41:10
"The Lord is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him— my father’s God, and I will exalt him."
Exodus 15:2