It’s easy to keep doing what we’ve always done. And even when we can see the necessity of doing something different, the anxiety and pain of entering the unknown often still holds us back. Many times it is not until the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of changing that we finally find the motivation to do something different.
Of course, we understand change is an inevitable part of life. In many respects we cannot not change. But like the passing of time or our aging bodies, there are many changes that don’t come with much of a choice but to accept.
At other times, we have the freedom to make the difficult choices of whether we change or not. These are the choices we get to make, for example, regarding our work and relationships, where we live and how we show up in the world.
To be sure, there’s a cost with doing something different. We don’t know what will be required of us and the outcomes are uncertain. The only guarantee is that nothing will ever be the same again. And without a doubt, this is a high cost compared to what is already known and familiar.
But maintaining the status quo comes with its own cost as well. What starts off as comfortable can become quite uncomfortable in time – like a pair of running shoes that no longer fits or is just simply worn out. What was once a good fit is no longer the case. In fact, it becomes increasingly painful to continue with the old.
And often it’s not until this point that the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing and trying something new.
We’re still entering the unknown and things remain uncertain. But we know something has to give and so we press forward in faith into our new frontiers.
It’s clear pain is a great motivator. And God often uses it to spur us into new levels of growth and maturity. Continue to walk by faith whenever these growing pains arrive.
Photo by Farrel Nobel on Unsplash
