It is easy to look for a way out of hard things. It’s natural, and there may even be a hint of mental illness in those who don’t. However, running away, quitting, complaining, or getting down and defeated are not what the Lord seeks from His followers. It is often in these moments that He is conforming us to the image of His Son, trimming away those parts that do not reflect who He is in our story. In John 15, Jesus tells us about His Father as a gardener who, in caring for the plants and trees, cuts off the branches that steal nutrients and stunt their growth. Like the gardener, God loves each of us too much to let those things that stunt or inhibit His growth in our lives remain. That kind of pruning is often uncomfortable, even painful. But it is not as painful as what awaits us if those broken and destructive pieces are not removed. Those things will cause death, while removing them creates the conditions in our lives for beautiful growth and eventual fruit-bearing. Incidentally, there is no in-between option. We either grow or die. With that realization, there really is no choice. Another key realization is that God won’t let His children die. He is committed to us. Today, join Him in the process. #BeTheEdge
“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” Romans 8:29 NIV
