Jesus helps us Grow

No matter what the struggle or issue, our growth is a result from relationship. We cannot grow if we are all alone emotionally. Life is too difficult. When we know that someone understands, we know we are not alone with our thoughts and feelings, and we gain the encouragement we need to persevere in our growth. People need two types of relationships to grow: the divine and human. We need to know that we are heard on human level with people and on a divine level with God. This ongoing relationship in the heart of every believer is a promise found in Matthew 28:20 “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Identity in Jesus: With Jesus we have a personal and living connection with God. Jesus provides us a living, breathing, picture of how God wants us to live. He serves as a model that can teach us and comfort us in many growth situations. The Bible is full of growth principles and Jesus gives us a personal and human example so we can see and internalize these messages within our hearts. By faith Jesus lives inside us: “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:16-17).

His example: In the world’s view, the path to fame and fortune is “having it all together”. The example shown by Jesus to the path of glory is by experiencing pain and suffering: “Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs to God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His suffering in order that we may also share in His glory” (Romans 8:17). No one grows to maturity who does not understand suffering. Dealing with failures and sin involves pain within us and in our relationships. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross did provide us with the grace that we need: “All things are possible through Christ who strengthens us” but, even though we are in Christ and everything will be ultimately ok, we are still on this earth today and things aren’t ok. The Bible provides us with many stories to give us examples of this principle such as the people of Israel. They were given the promise land but had to wait forty years to possess it. In the same way, we have much work to do before we celebrate the final victory. We naturally want to avoid suffering but Jesus saw suffering as a way to grow. “Although He was a son, he learned obedience from what He suffered” (Heb. 5:8).

Everyday living: When we are hurt emotionally, we tend to deny it. Remembering the injuries from hurtful relationships and experiences can be very painful. We want to avoid or minimize what has happened. Jesus never pretended He didn’t feel the hurt, in fact, He did just the opposite: He spoke to his disciples about His future suffering, which upset them greatly. They were horrified he was being so negative (see Matt.16:21-22). Jesus normalized suffering. Can you identify with the attitude Jesus had towards suffering?