One of my big boys’ least favorite tasks is going through their clothes to see what fits them and what doesn’t. They find this task tedious and boring, but it is essential to do at least once a year.
While they were doing this task with their Dad the other day, my middle son kept coming down stairs giggling, dressed in clothes that were far to small to show me. We all thought it was hilarious how short his shirts and pants were. I kept saying, “How could you have grown so much right before our eyes? I feel like you just wore that!”
Growth is like that. We can’t see growth while it is happening. We only notice growth when we look back. I hadn’t been able to physically see my son’s growth until I had something to which I could compare—his teeny, tiny clothes!
Recently, a date passed on the calendar that marked the anniversary of something very painful happening in my life. I was taken by surprise by how triggered I was by that day. I was praying about it and said to the Lord, “God, that is so painful when I think about it! I have so much more healing that needs to take place. Please help me continue to heal. It feels like I’ll never get there!”
I felt the Lord whisper to me, “But look how far I’ve taken you. Look how far you’ve come. Look how much healing has already taken place.”
Just like my son invisibly outgrowing his clothes, the Lord has been healing me and growing me right under my nose! God has already brought me so far, but I didn’t realize it until I looked back. We don’t see invisible growth until we look back.
Can you think of an area of growth that God has been doing in you? Are you able to recognize how far God has taken you when you look back? If you are, please thank the Lord for this growth in your life! Look how far God has brought you!