Still a Seed

Today I have a simple thought I read on Twitter...  It's something I have written about before but it helps me to remember every day and I would like the thought to do the same for your life.

"You just have to give yourself some time.  You're still a seed" - Flik, A Bug's Life

I think people often get down on themselves for not changing quickly enough, or learning a lesson the first time they go through a situation even for not growing as fast as they see others around them sprouting up.... At least, I am hard on myself.  My assistant just told me this week she thinks I'm my own worst critic and also thinks that's true of almost everyone and I have to agree.  There are a few problems with these thoughts of self criticism:

1.  What is the one thing that can stop you from moving forward even if conditions are favorable?  Discouragement!  Being discouraged by your progress leads to frustration and fear which will eventually cease all progress.  That's not what God wants for you!  He tells us many times in the Bible not to compare ourselves to each other but to keep our eyes on Him!  Think about it, do you expect a baby to say "Yo mama & papa! What up?" a day after it's birth?  NO! You don't even expect a smile at that point, you know it's a process and that growing takes a lot of time. You don't get frustrated with a child that's just learning; instead, you encourage them that they are doing well and to keep going one step at a time so do the same for yourself!  Are you taking one step every day?  Do you feel bad for making mistakes you would not have even recognized as mistakes this time last year?  Then you're making progress so continue, you're doing exactly what you should be doing, GROWING!

2.  You don't really know how far ahead others are, or how much they are really growing!  You can't see the hearts of others, their motives are unclear and intentions unseen... But Jesus can!  The bible says God looks on the heart of a man.  So keep your own heart pure, your motives right and intentions good... You may be farther ahead than you even realize or that person you think is doing so much better than you may in fact be slipping behind on the inside.

3.  You don't actually know how long the process is supposed to take... That's because there is no set time for the process!  This process of "becoming" is never over... The Bible says to "strive for perfection" but it also explains we will not reach that goal and should not feel we have until we reach heaven!  And that's how it should be, if we feel we have arrived we will stop moving forward!  The first thing the Bible tells us about the Spirit of God is that it MOVES! "The spirit moved" so if we stop moving we will automatically be falling farther away from God because His spirit is always moving, we need to keep ourselves in the following position!

4. If you notice you've made a mistake more than once, you are learning...  Recognition of error is part of the learning process.  A child who gets a shock from a metal object doesn't always apply the rule not to touch another metal object in a different room, but when they have just received their 3rd shock they will put it together and eventually stop touching those items.  So, if you've recognized a mistake in an area of your life and determined to change but a week down the road find yourself in the same position, feeling worse about it tan before, that's good!  Feeling bad about what you are doing wrong is conviction and we need to learn to EMBRACE CONVICTION (a conscience.) But don't allow yourself to transfer that conviction into condemnation.  The Bible teaches us "God did not come into the world to condemn"  he wants us to feel bad enough to change but not to condemn ourselves! Conviction turns into change whereas condemnation turns into captivity:  when condemned we can become frozen in fear... Protect your heart!  Allow and embrace conviction but remember you are a work in progress, give yourself permission to forgive yourself!

Here's the deal, Jesus is our father... He doesn't expect us to know all language and sentence structure, be able to digest all the solids of an adult or even stand on our own two feet in the first week of our Christian walk.  We do need to grow continuously and eventually mature into an adult (spiritually speaking) where we are stable, strong in our walk with Christ and able to help those younger than us.

If you can look at your life a year ago and see that you've made some progress, even if you're not where you wanted to be at this point; allow yourself some room to breath, you are progressing and that's what is expected. Setbacks and winter night will come, slow seasons are inevitable but be proud of how far you've come even if it's only one step, because you have come that one step and that is movement!  Continue to grow day by day and this time next year you will be farther ahead than you ever thought possible. But, if you're not seeing progress to this point why not start with me now?  Allow conviction to settle down and think of ways you can begin to change and move closer to God, realize that it is a process and allow yourself time to grow, take one step at a time and pray this prayer with me "Jesus, I love you.  I'm sorry I haven't shown you my love as much as I should but I want to renew my commitment to you.  I promise, Lord, to pick up your word tonight and read at least one chapter (or more depending on where you are) and to say good morning and talk to you a bit before I leave for the day... Please take steps toward me as I do toward you, bring me closer to you and help me to feel your presence embrace my heart. Help me to be strong in my decision to follow you more closely and show me ways I can continue to make you see my love for you and commitment to you!"

After all, "You just have to give yourself some time.  You're still a seed."