The Grief in Halted Growth

One evening a topic came in a group of adults whom I look up to (haha, I said "adults" in my head as if I were under the age of 18. Not only do I not see myself quiiiite as an adult, but these adults also apply in what I'm gonna talk about in this post.)


One woman happened to mentioned that she wished that her grandkids would freeze just how they are and stop growing so they would stay like that.
 When she said that, I was suddenly shaken by the tragedy that frozen growth would be... Nothing against what she said -those were legitimate sentiments she expressed, but there was some sadness inside me as I imagined children who didn't grow any more.


Basically, if the children DID stop growing, there would be this feeling of grief involved. Halted growth. Premature ending. A potential for so much more...but instead nothing coming next.
How much more must God feel that when we allow ourselves to stop growing, or when he puts something in front of us for us to go THROUGH and we just kind of ...don't. We gain nothing by not being tested and refined by difficulties. Often, through those hard times is when we grow the most.
How much more might God feel grieved that we aren't growing that I feel when I consider children not growing. "There is so much more!" He feels. "Don't stop here!". His heart must ache and cry out to us to not settle for less than His best. Don't just stop growing.


A tree doesn't stop growing even when it is all grown up. I'm no botanist, but a huge, mature tree might not get any taller, but it's still growing. It's trunk is getting thicker and roots keep getting deeper and deeper, because if they didn't, soon the nutrients right around the roots in the soil would be depleted and it would starve. What would a tree be without it's roots growing, spreading and gathering what it needs to live?
Ultimately that mature tree is there to produce fruit, just as we who are called "sons of God" are to produce fruit in our lives. But if we don't deepen our roots in the Truth of the Gospel and the Love of Christ, what nutrients will we have to produce fruit?


A huge part of the beauty of young children growing is because of how temporary it is. It can only can be held and beheld for a moment, tender and precious. And suddenly that fleeting moment is over (Suddenly they're not quite as cute as they used to be, the get attitudes, become independent, etc.), therefore it is tremendously valuable. And while it's precious, retarding that change is not the goal. 
I am reminded that we are to come to God as children, sons accepted by Him, but also that we mustn't always be babes craving milk, but get ready to take in solid food. That involves maturing and growth.  


It's a process. There's more I feel like I could say about this, but I think this is enough to chew on for right now.


Every day I wake up a little differently that I woke up the day before. Not that they routine is different, but I -who I am- is different. I hope that the growth that occurs in me is for God's glory and that the growth never stops. And I hope the same for you.