There was a commercial years ago where there was a parent and a kid. The kid had messed up, and told the parent about it. The parent looked st the kid and said, “You know what? You’re growing.” They were reassuring the kid that we all fail at times, but failure doesn’t have to be the end. It can be part of our growth. We can learn from it and then move forward. Growth is essential to life. It’s also essential to being a Christian.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve failed only to have God look at me and say, “You’re growing.” As a perfectionist, I always want things to be right and perfect, but growth isn’t that way. It’s often messy, and it accompanies failure. I’ve learned to prefer growth over perfection. They’re both difficult, but growth is natural. God’s desire for each of us is not to be perfect, but to grow. He’s there to help us along the way with all the things that accompany growth.
Here are some Bible Verses on growing.
1. I’m not writing all this as a neighborhood scold just to make you feel rotten. I’m writing as a father to you, my children. I love you and want you to grow up well, not spoiled. There are a lot of people around who can’t wait to tell you what you’ve done wrong, but there aren’t many fathers willing to take the time and effort to help you grow up. It was as Jesus helped me proclaim God’s Message to you that I became your father. I’m not, you know, asking you to do anything I’m not already doing myself.
1 Corinthians 4:14-16 MSG
2. But continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, now and forever! Amen.
2 Peter 3:18 GNT
3. Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly]. Enfolded in love, let us grow up in every way and in all things into Him Who is the Head, [even] Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).
Ephesians 4:15 AMPC
4. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:7 NLT
5. So come on, let’s leave the preschool fingerpainting exercises on Christ and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we’ll stay true to all that. But there’s so much more. Let’s get on with it!
Hebrews 6:1-3 MSG
Devotions by Chris Hendrix 