Maturation Process part 2
Life's a journey. Everlasting life is a never ending journey. The point is not the destination. In that sense we have already arrived. The days of heaven on earth. The point moving forward. Upward and God-ward. The point is discovery. Discovering who we are by discovering who God is. Who we are in Him. Who He is in us. The point is not "good vs evil." Good and evil are on the same tree of death. The point is life. And the point of life is to live. To live is to love. To love is to live. The never ending journey of eternal life is a journey into the heart of the matter. And the heart of the matter is the heart. God's heart. Filled with love. Beating in our chests. What's inside filling us to overflowing and coming out. That's why it's ok to take this journey at your own pace. That's why it's ok to stumble. Even ok to fall. Because the just man falls seven times but gets up every time. Because Jesus is the One who can keep us from falling. Every day--EVERY DAY--I make sure my son, Logan, knows that as long as he's learning and growing he's ok. He doesn't need to have it all figured out right now. And neither do you. And neither do I. Sometimes we try things and sometimes they don't go the way we want them to. But the only true failure is failure to keep trying. If you never make any mistakes, you can't learn from your mistakes. And more is learned by doing something wrong than doing it right. Sometimes--most of the time--you have to do something wrong BEFORE you can do it right. Very rarely does someone just know how to do something. Things are taught, and things are learned. And the best teacher--the best way to learn--is on the job training. We learn to do... by doing. We learn to love by loving. By being loved, and receiving and releasing that love. By getting knocked down and then getting back up. Finding a new way. A better way. A more excellent way. I'm convinced that we go through things for one of two reasons: To learn and grow. Or to build a well for the next person who is going to go through the same thing. Or, ideally, both. If you can look someone in the eye and tell them, "I've been right where you are. I got through it. You can too. I'll help you," man... that's huge. That sense of connection. Of knowing that we're not all alone. We're all in this together. We can bear each other burdens. We can get each other's backs. We can help each other. Forgive each other. Love each other. Day by day. Aren't His mercies new every day? He never runs out. And He never leaves nor forsakes us. Even when we mess up. Even when we willfully do something we know we shouldn't ought to do. He sticks closer than a brother. Leading and guiding us as we learn and grow. The gate is narrow, and the way is straight, but I don't think taking twists and turns disqualifies you. I think Daddy stands behind us and helps us back onto the path when we turn to the left or the right. I think He chastens and corrects us out of love. With love. He helps us along, watching us mature. Watching us become who we are as He reveals to us who we are!