When I have grown in every way but God’s way, He has not fallen down with me. Instead, He has stayed faithful, stayed true, stayed loving, stayed merciful, stayed compassionate, stayed forgiving, and stood waiting for me to come running back to His mercy seat to confess my sins and receive His forgiveness. He has not rubbed it in my face that I have grown in so many ways other than His. Instead, He has spent His time showing me His love and mercy, teaching me His Word, and encouraging me by His Holy Spirit to learn to grow in His ways.
He has modeled everything He wants me to become. Loving. Merciful. Compassionate. Forgiving. And so much more. Just as I have grown in so many ways other than His, I at last realize the opportunity I have to grow in the right ways. So I can look down at the ground shamefacedly and look at the dirt where I have fallen, regard my scraped knees, cuts, and bruises and lose myself in pity, or I can look up to Him and get up off the ground.
At last, I am growing in His ways. Though I still fall, and often at that, I get up quickly now, excitedly, to learn how to live in this brand new way. His way. Now, finally, I am growing God’s way. Growing pains come with the journey, but God is there to soothe my pains and encourage me to continue growing in the forever bright of His eternal light.
Isaiah 2:3 NKJV
“Many people shall come and say, “ Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, To the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”