An Opportunity For Growth
Personal growth is “painful.” Hearing the truth that makes people free “hurts.” Before the Book of Revelation ends, the Scriptures reveal the fact that humanity’s culturally diverse global village will experience “great tribulation.” Pain will always get our attention when nothing else will. Pain has always been the “Inspiration For Change” because power still concedes nothing without a struggle.
Most of my life, I’ve often asked God to grant all who ask the wisdom and understanding to know the reasons why old habits die hard. Why are we still so afraid confront ourselves, to challenge ourselves, to face our deepest fears and embrace Change? Do we still fear what closely follows and shadows seasons of Change?
Why are we still so afraid to challenge our peers, to confront evil doers, to take a bold and courageous stand, to speak truth to power in love? Why do we go along just to get along? Can it be that we’re afraid we might lose something, or someone, that produces great pleasure, comforts us, or give us a false sense of security?
Instead of just answering my questions during my quiet talks with God while in my secret place on bended knee, God places me smack dab in the middle of controversial scenarios to test my faith in Him. God places me in uncomfortable situations to see if I have the character, confidence, and courage to do what’s right, not what’s popular. It’s extremely difficult to dance to the beat of a different drummer if you need the “attention, approval, acceptance, and affection” of other people.
I’ve discovered that reading books and listening to the pundits, the experts, as they share their personal opinions and intellectualized perspectives only produces theories, philosophies, and ideologies. Their masterful, poetic movements during debates about controversial, emotionally charged issues that are relevant and meaningful to us may indeed be insightful. But mere motivation often falls short of producing everlasting change that results from the type of profound, personal introspection that Adversity inspires.
Have you ever broken a bone in “your” body, not somebody else? I have at least 3 times. Despite your high tolerance for pain, how long could you ignore what needed fixing? Despite the plethora of pain killers you swallowed to numb your body, how long could you avoid the fact that something was terribly wrong inside your skin? Mattered not what you did, you could not pretend that nothing wrong. You could not ignore the truth that you broke something that produced tremendous pain.
More times than not, God uses painful moments to get our attention. But God doesn’t force us to transform these defining moments into meaningful opportunities for tremendous personal growth. God gives us all free will. God doesn’t force us to love Him, to accept the greatest gift of all, to spin from within, to begin something new. God only places in positions where we have to take a stand for something or fall for nothing.
But be forewarned! People verbally vilified and crucified Jesus Christ for speaking truth to power in love. Taking an unpopular stand will always cost more than most people are willing to pay whenever an opportunity for growth appears. When God presents an opportunity for personal growth in your life, will you stand or fall?
© Copyright 2007 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.
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2 comments April 10th, 2007
