"As human beings grow in discipline and love and life experience, their understanding of the world and their place in it naturally grows apace. Conversely, as people fail to grow in discipline, love and life experience, so does their understanding fail to grow. Consequently, among the members of the human race there exists an extraordinary variability in the breadth and sophistication of our understanding of what life is all about" (Peck, M.Scott, The Road Less Traveled).
Since we cannot control the world and people in it; since we cannot change the course of history for people around us; since we cannot see the future; since we never know all the facts; since the world is accelerating and becoming incredibly small; since the number of people and things that jockey for position and significance in the world are increasing; so forth and so on, my remaining option is growth. I cannot control the direction or constitution of the outside world, but I can do something about my ability to navigate and manage it through my personal growth and development.
2 Peter 3:18 (KJV) says; But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ... Paul commended the Thessalonians because their "faith [grew] abundantly, and the love of everyone of you for one another is increasing" (2 Thessalonians 1:3, NRSV). The Psalmist said the "righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon. They are planted in the house of the Lord; they flourish in the courts of our God. In old age they still produce fruit; they are always green and full of sap" (Psalms 92:12-14, NRSV). Paul prayed for the Colossian believers "that [they] might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" and that they would be "fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:9-10, KJV). I believe its safe to say that the definitive will of God for you and I is personal growth and development.
Althought not always the easy way, personal growth is the best way. Although it is often uncomfortable to confront our shortcomings and misguidedness, personal growth is the right thing to do. Although it often involves indicting my past behavior, personal growth certainly leads to the right outcomes. Christian growth is often painful, as one emerges from the cacoon of carnality and takes flight on the wings of righteousness, but it is always productive.
I remember you saying at a Bible study one time that not all growth is healthy and that it is possible to grow quickly with shallow roots. Also that we have got to make sure we're apostolic on the inside before we are apostolic on the outside. I didn't realize how true that was until I looked back on my own life. There was a point when I looked and acted the part but my inside was nothing of the sort.The end result was failure.However, when I began to grow on the inside my roots became deep and not easily moved. It is never easy or comfortable like you stated above but I believe my end result will be growth that I never dreamed possible.
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