Personal Growth

"Therefore prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." (1 Peter 1:13 NIV)

I have always been a person that was aware of my personal growth. I

set goals for myself and managed to reach those goals in a certain amount of time. As I sit here in pain and having difficulty even getting out of a chair, I wonder if I will ever be able to fulfill any goals of personal growth again! Do you ever want to feel the success you once did in life?

We have to remember that personal growth can not happen without spiritual growth. And in order to have spiritual growth you have to "exercise" your faith. What better time to exercise your faith than through your illness. We turn to the Lord when we are down or hurting. If you are like me, I am great at turning to Christ for strength and healing, but when the pain gets too strong or the stress is just too much, I would rather lay in my recliner and let my meds take hold.

Spiritual growth is possible with chronic illness if we put it as a major priority in life. 1 Peter 1:3-9 we are told:  "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith....may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."

The same way I have to get on to the exercise bike in my home to exercise my body, I must exercise my faith to grow spiritually through reading the Word and interacting with others. You might be saying now that you can not make it to church. For some of us, that time has come. However, we do not have to be at a church building to touch others and interact. For some of you it may mean only one person that you talk to throughout a whole day. Rest assured that your personal growth will shine through with the Light of Christ as you exercise your spiritual growth with others.

Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, be with each of us today as we make it a priority for Spiritual growth. Guide us in exercising our minds for our own personal growth through the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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About the author: Nancy Carr lives in western Kansas and is retired from teaching and directing music due to degenerative disc disease, Fibromyalgia, and heart problems. Her husband David has Parkinsons Disease. She is so very thankful for every day she has to be with David and for all the ways the Lord touches both of them throughout this journey.