The Enemy of Growth

The bible talks a lot about becoming mature, and growing more like Christ. That's my desire each day, but some days I feel like I can't move forward. I feel like I am immovable where I am. Why?

Pastor Thabiti M. Anaybwile in his book, "What is a Healthy Church Member?" states the reason for our lack of growth saying,"Chaos is the enemy of growth. Disorganization, sloppiness, and inattention generally introduce the kind of instability that weakens rather than strengthens. Where there is no order there will likely be little in the environment that sustains and nourishes. Life needs to be ordered."  (pp. 73)

In the past, the times when I feel like my life has become chaotic has been when I didn't pay attention to my schedule. I overbooked commitments because I couldn't say 'no' to someone. I thought I could do it all sometimes even though I knew I couldn't. What happened was I end up having too many obligations and not enough time to breathe in between. No one knew I was over committed except me and my family. But that didn't make it OK. Just because I was able to keep the commitments didn't mean I was on top of everything. The lack of time I had to spend with the LORD and my family proved to stunt my growth period. Feeling overwhelmed on the inside was my own fault. No one else to blame. My inattention to my schedule and not guarding it like I should were the reasons I couldn't grow in my relationship with the LORD during those times. Because I was running, running, running, I had less time to reflect and pray and talk to God about life. Less time to be still and read His word. This is an example in my own life where I have struggled but have become much better at over the last couple of years.

Another time I have felt this way was when my home was not in order. The laundry was too high (still struggle with this!), or the dishes were still in the sink. Nothing was in its place in the home.......I felt chaos! To remedy this situation , at then end of the day, I take 30 minutes each day to pick up things that aren't in their place. I bring peace back to my home just by putting things up. Those feelings of "aghhhhh!!!!!!!" go away because I have paid attention a few minor details I had overlooked.

If you have too many commitments, not enough time to order your home, and spend with your family, you can't grow in the LORD nor can you grow those relationships within your family. Even worse, you will become a frazzled, frantic person that no one wants to be around because you always have too many things going on. I don't want to be like that. I don't want to be someone people don't enjoy being around because I am "too busy" or "too behind" or "too....whatever." I want to speak the life of God into others lives. To be a good listener. To be able to pour out what God has taught me to someone else in my day. That is how we grow. We spend time learning and listening to God and then we are able to flourish by pouring our lives into the lives of others.

Your lack of growth is no one's fault but your own. Only you can pay attention to ways to bring order into your life. Look at your schedule. Your commitments. Your home. Are they ordered? Do you feel overwhelmed and stuck, or, do you feel like you can move forward each new day? Order matters. God is a God of order. After he had finished making creation, God reflected back on it. Genesis 1:31 tells us of this account saying,^"God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. "

Order.
Get it.
Grow.

Don't remain in chaos.
Reflect on where you can make simple changes in your life and then do it.
You will be glad you did!