Episode 550

TODAY’S READING
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:11-13

What I love, love love about this verse is not only that it’s used in every single wedding that we’ll ever attend, but that it talks about, or it gives you the imagery of how when we were kids, we talked like kids, and we thought like kids, the one became adults. We put the ways of childhood behind us, and that signifies growth. And so the reason why I labeled today’s evil growing pains is because we need to be reminded that in different seasons, we will continue to grow, but we are never exempt from the pain of growing pains. I don’t know if you were the kid that had back pains when you went through your curl sprout; my sister got stretch marks going upwards because she grew so fast. So instead of stretch marks going outwards. When we gain a couple of pounds, she actually got them upward. So growing pains are a real thing. And it’s necessary in almost every season of life. When you look at the womb and a pregnant woman, it stretches so that the baby can continue to flourish as it gets its nutrients and grows. So in the emotional world, in the seasonal world, growth is optional. We can choose to stay the way we are; we can choose to still talk like and think like children. But if we choose to grow, and we choose to put those old ways behind us, pain is inevitable. And I happen in every season in a new job.

It happens in a marriage; it happens during a homebuilding season, and happens when your kids go off to college. It happens when your kids have kids, and you want to say something about the way they’re raising theirs. And pain can happen at any moment. But what is the greatest part about it is that love can be the very foundation, and even though we may be experiencing growing pains and new seasons, we do have a good and gracious Father who’s there to support us and who’s there to continue to speak wisdom into us to continue to grow us in a sense that yes, there is that pain because there’s the uncomfortableness there is maybe lack of communication, but then we have a Father who gives us the wisdom to help ease that pain. And so I’m thankful for that. And I hope that you are too. I thank you guys for tuning in. Again. Today is 550 episodes, and I couldn’t do this without you.

Prayer:
Father God, thank you so much for this beautiful Friday. Lord, thank You for this community. I pray for every single person under the sound of my voice. We are currently all in different seasons, but you see us; you know the wisdom that needs to be spoken to our souls, and so are we give you the space today to do so. Talk to us, nourish us, strengthen us guide us. Let us say the right things. Let us do the right things as we continue to face this world. We thank you. We love you. We ask that you bless this beautiful weekend ahead of us. It is in your holy name that we pray. Amen.