Tag Archives: discipleship

Faith

Grow Your Soul (the rest will follow)

GROWTH   — I’m a Papa. I have grandchildren and a garage full of all the right tools. I am 55 years old growing.  I have been reading my Bible, praying, serving, and trying to honor God for the past 35 years. I don’t always like it, but I am still growing.  I’m still trying to figure out what I’m going to be when I grow up. God is still working on me.  Yes, there is still plenty of room for growth.

I think of my  desire to continue to grow and mature. I want to become the right kind of follower of Jesus Christ. I want to reflect the love described in I Corinthians, chapter 13.  It’s what the Apostle Paul calls, “a more excellent way.” As an educator I picked up on the biblical standards for growth that a Stanford psychology professor applies to adolescent brain development.

According to Carol Dweck (Mindsets and Equitable Education), growth happens best with teenagers when rightly responding in five key areas their lives:

  • CHALLENGES
  • OBSTACLES
  • EFFORT
  • CRITICISM
  • SUCCESS OF OTHERS

That’s great for kids, but I find that when I am growing God is using these things as my “growth agents.”  Let me explain…

  • Challenges must be something I embrace; I learn something new from them; “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
  • Obstacles help me become stronger and build fortitude, think obstacle course; “…perseverance produces character and character produces hope…” Romans 5:3
  • Effort becomes the active manifestation of the faith I hold.  “Faith without works is dead.”  James 2:17
  • Criticism is painful, but I recognize, not only can I learn something, but criticsim won’t destroy my true foundation. “and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame.” I Peter 3:16
  • Success of others is to be celebrated. Oh what joy when I trust God so much that I am happy when others receive praise. When I trust God I am free from despair or resentment when others are exhalted, even when they don’t deserve it. “Rejoice with those who rejoice.” Romans 12:15

My natural tendency is NOT Continue reading Grow Your Soul (the rest will follow) →