Do you really want to grow?

Ed Doerner — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:00:41 +0000

How many of us really want to grow? It’s easy to say that we want to grow, but few people are willing to do what it takes to grow or welcome growth opportunities. It’s so much easier to keep things the same and to settle in to the “comfortable,” but then our growth stops. At the same time, constant growth comes with a price also. There are times when our environment and circumstances change constantly and without a time of rest the affects can be more harmful than good. During these times of constant growth the stress can take a toll on our attitude, our relationships, our faith and our body. Without a time of rest, Instead of growing, we become weaker.

If you have ever lifted weights, you may understand how growth occurs. If we lift with fewer weights and more repetition, we tone up our muscles and build up our endurance. If we want to grow, we need someone to help push us beyond our limits and lift more than we are capable of lifting. However, this is not when growth occurs. Growth occurs when the muscles are allowed to rest. During the weightlifting we are stretched, during the resting we grow.

The same is true with professional growth. When we are pushed beyond our limits; when people push us out of our comfort zone; when we have to do things we have not done before; when we have to work harder or faster to produce results than our comfort zone allows; when we are asked to do things that we know we cannot do by ourselves, then we are stretched. Without being pushed beyond our limits, we are only maintaining. Then growth occurs during the time of rest. We need to be stretched beyond our limits then rest; stretched, and then rest. Are you allowing others to push you beyond your limits? Are you taking the time to rest? Jesus said, “come to me all of you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” May God bless you in your growth.

Growing together,

Authentic Voice » push

Do you really want to grow?