More to learn

It's funny how at certain points in my life I sort of sit back "hypothetically speaking" and put my hands behind my head, relax, and say, "there. I've learned it all. I think I'm good now." Let me give you word of caution here my friends...if you ever feel this way, stop feeling this way. :) It usually implies that you are about to learn something new. It's not as though I was feeling cocky in any sense of the word, I just was feeling as though I had really been through a season of learning, and now, it was time to relax for just a bit, feeling as though I could take some time off because "now, I was in a good place."

I don't even really like saying that out-loud but I am not superstitious so I can go ahead and say it. Haha.

What I am getting at is this though: there are always two roads a person can take, one- being the easy way and two- of course is the hard way. Sometimes it makes sense to take the easy way, but let me just say, whenever you take the hard way, you learn more.

Take a vacation for example, perhaps your honeymoon....you and your new spouse are getting to know each other in a whole new one on one way because if you were like me, your honeymoon was your first real vacation away alone together. You have the choice of hiking up the mountain, or driving. But really...WHY NOT HIKE? Ha. Time to talk, and do something exciting together. Only, before too long you realize, hiking is hot. It's uncomfortable. There's no water 1/2 way up the mountain, and lets face it, you have to pee and there is not a potty anywhere.

That's a lot like how life is, but when we find ourselves in those predicaments, we can either lean into the pain, ask for help, weather thru and learn what we need to from our issue at hand, or we can sit down, cry, and possibly give up.

I don't want to give up in the midst of having to learn something big. God always has more to teach us, more to show us, and He has ways He can best do this. Usually, I see my two choices, it almost always takes place in such a way that I can either ignore it, or face it head on. I like that I am beginning to say, "I'll face it." In this facing, it produces character...it produces growth, and makes me into a better version of myself. I want to be the best I can for my God. He has plans for me, and I want to be able to function within those plans with the best tools that only come from learning in circumstances I could choose to avoid, but don't.

If I'm going to be here, (on earth) I really ought to BE HERE. I don't want to miss out on a lesson, a teaching or a chance to grow because I simply was tired of doing the work. There is always more to learn. There are always places in my heart and mind that need to be examined or reflected upon. I can always, always, always, grow more to look more like my creator. That's what I want. So when I feel blindsided by the next lesson I am starting, a page I was not predicting that I'd have to turn, I should go ahead and say, "I'll take the hike." Knowing, that when I hike, I see more, I hear more, I feel more, I can experience things on a whole different level than if I simply hopped in my car, and drove. There is always work to be done on our person, we are always in need of more "tinkering" because of who we are in Christ, we can never look "too much" like Him. I'm not saying this stress you out, and I most certainly am not saying that Christ doesn't love you just the way you are, but in terms of christian personal growth, were never done. I'm never done.

Isn't that a good thing though? For if we could fold our hands in our lap and say that "we had made it" then, what would the purpose be of being here on earth? No friends, we are never done, and in the perfecting process, we have the chance to encourage others through our mistakes, help others through our folly and build others up through the difficulties that we've been through. SO much purpose right there. So many ways and reason to bring God glory. And I for one, know I have much more to learn about myself, much deeper I can dig, much more I should know, and the more I will come to know my Savior better.

I want to dig not because it's easy, but because the work produces more joy for here, more life to give here, and a promise of knowing my perfecter in a more personal way. The more of me I abandon, the more of Him I take on. And to me, that seems like a pretty fair trade. Dig. Climb. Learn. All for His glory.