If growth isn’t making you want to run for the hills and back into the familiar comfort of old habits and patterns, then you may not be doing it right.
Growth is painful because it’s productive. It’s producing a truer you, the person God created you to be.
But if you’re resisting it, you’re not alone. In the Old Testament we see several people run and hide when God called on them. Elijah fled out of fear. Saul hid in baggage when he learned God wanted him to be king. Jonah got on a ship to escape from God and the daunting task of preaching to Ninevah.
Because we’re human, our natural inclination is to avoid suffering and pain, but it's important to remember that growth can’t happen without discomfort.
In our minds, we think we’d like a straight and easy path to where it is we want to go. However, the challenges and adversity we face in the midst of growth are an essential part of building the resiliency and grit we need to get to where God is taking us.
The same is true in nature. Check out this bit of research shared in Jay Shetty’s Think Like a Monk:
“A few decades ago, scientists conducted an experiment in the Arizona desert where they built “Biosphere 2” – a huge steel-and-glass enclosure with air that had been purified, clean water, nutrient-rich soil, and lots of natural light. It was meant to provide ideal living conditions for the flora and fauna within. And while it was successful in some ways, in one way it was an absolute failure. Over and over, when trees inside the Biosphere grew to a certain height, they would simply fall over. At first, the phenomenon confused scientists. Finally, they realized that the Biosphere lacked a key element necessary to the trees’ health: wind. In a natural environment, trees are buffeted by wind. They respond to that pressure and agitation by growing stronger bark and deeper roots to increase their stability.”
The trees were provided every element needed to survive, but without wind they could not grow the stress wood and deep roots required to support themselves.
Wind is necessary for our growth. It makes us stronger and sets us up for long-term success. Embrace the discomfort. This is becoming.
Take time for some self-reflection during this busy season, and consider these journaling questions to get you started:
What have been the headwinds you've faced this year?
How have they served you?
What is God teaching you in this season of adversity?
What is the opportunity for you?
As a certified professional coach, I help women navigate the wilderness of personal growth and find their footing in the unknown of doing life in a new way. Working together, you will unravel the limiting beliefs keeping you stuck and create a healthier mindset and habits that help you become all that God has called you to be - in all areas of your life. Want to know more? Grab time to chat here.
Cheering you on,
Brittany
Founder, Flourish Coaching
Certified Professional Coach
