The Enemy of Growth

I grew up in the same house, went to the same private school, and attended the same church for my entire life, at least until nine months ago. And I count it as a blessing. Lots of people moved constantly as a kid, never really feeling "at home". I never knew what it was like to stuff everything up into cardboard boxes or slap a "sold" sticker up outside. Life was consistent. Go to school. Come home. Go out to eat on Friday nights. Go to church Sundays and youth group Wednesdays. Hang out with friends. Go shopping with Mom. Life was good. Everything was constant.
But everything tended to constantly be the same. 
It was incredibly easy to become complacent.


And I am convinced that complacency is the enemy of growth.


Isn't it funny how we say we all want change? Change this-and-this to end world hunger. This book/diet/huge exercise ball will change your life. Change your habits to live a better life.
The world calls for change, but when it needs people to jump down in the nitty-gritty, who shows up?
We all want to climb mountains and cure cancer and make a better tomorrow.
But you know what comes before tomorrow? Today. 
We call for change in others, but where does change really have to start? In ourselves.

Then fear rears its ugly head. I know I've let fear make a fool (and a wimp) out of me one-to-many times. And I tend to be afraid of change. It's exciting, yes, and often necessary. But, when it happens in yourself, it is often hard and uncomfortable. Some days it feels like a semi ran you over then backed up because it missed its turn. But we have to remember that change can also be good.

If there was no change, there would be no butterflies or flowers or high/low tides. Allow change to do something in you, to grow you, to make you more of who God put you on this earth to be.
Don't allow yourself to become complacent, to become too satisfied with how things are.
Lean in to the change and lean into the God Who will guide you through it.

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV

Thanks for reading! ☺- Brittney N. Crook

(photo credit)