Faith That Grows in Every Seasonනියැදිය

CATALYST FOR GROWTH:

Manure, dung, droppings, excrement: they are all labels for the same thing. Without getting too graphic, it’s leftover waste after nutrients are extracted from ingested food. No longer useful, the odorous byproduct is eliminated. Hang with me here; I do have a point.

Humans, animals, plants, insects, and even microorganisms produce some kind of waste material. Some living things produce more waste than others. For example, the average cow produces 65 pounds of manure in a single day, and the farmers do not let it go to waste. They spread it across crops as fertilizer.

It’s amazing to think something so noxious as manure could spawn growth in another living thing, yet that’s exactly what it does—a principle which holds true in the physical realm, as well as the spiritual.

Amazingly, God can take our messiness and use it for good. Past mistakes become agents for growth in us, as well as others.

Unfortunately, the enemy would have us believe otherwise. He tries to convince us that our embarrassing or painful life experiences are better off locked away in the recesses of our subconscious mind. So we hide behind our carefully manufactured façade, hoping others will think we have it all together. And because much of the world is doing the same thing, we end up with a warped sense of reality.

But here’s the truth of the matter. People want to know the real us, not some watered-down, glamourized version that has been plastered across our social media accounts. Why? Because real people identify with real people.

There is nothing more alluring than an authentic person who doesn’t pretend to have it all together, a person who is honest about their weaknesses, their struggles, and their strife. When you and I share our soiled, not-so-perfect lives with others, God does more than we can imagine through His power that is at work within us. He takes our mess and turns it into a message of hope for others.

It’s time to get real and be a catalyst for growth in others.

REFLECTION:

Which of your weaknesses, heartaches, or life struggles might God use to help others grow?

PRAYER:

Lord, I know you don’t waste anything we go through in life. Help me be open and real with others about the struggles I face, so that I, too, can be a catalyst for growth in others. Use me for your glory. Amen.