Getting Dirty on Your Journey

   I've said it many times: throughout our lives we grow. We can grow the right way or the wrong way. But, what makes us grow? We aren't like a plant where we need water, sunlight, and dirt. We need much more in order to grow. We need to be washed clean by Jesus's blood, have the Son's light shine in us, and have dirt in our lives...
   Okay so once again you're probably wondering where I'm going with this but I'm going to say stay with me I always have a point. The first two things we need make sense. We need to accept Christ so we can be washed clean. Then we need to have Jesus' light shine in us so others may see it and be saved. But the last one doesn't make sense: why do we need dirt in our lives? Aren't we supposed to be clean?
   We are to be clean but since there is sin in the world that is hard. We may try not to sin and we may succeed at times. However, others may not know that they should not sin. This creates problems, or dirt, in our lives.
   There's a song in the Disney movie Tarzan called Son of Man. There's one specific line in the song that says: "On this journey that you're making there'll be answers that you seek and it's you who climb the mountain it's you who reach the peak." We are growing. We have many mountains in our lives that seem impossible to climb, but nothing's impossible with God. We see that again and again in the Bible. God climbs our mountains with us. We may have dirt, or problems, thrown at us but those are to give us nutrients.
   If we did not have problems we would not grow. Think about what we pray for: we pray for our problems to be taken away. Sometimes God says yes, sometimes he says no, and sometimes he says just wait a little longer. Then there's always one option that we don't think about: God says "yes I'll take the problem away but not in the way you think." He knows what is best for us. He knows what we need in order to take the next step up that huge mountain. We may not like our problems when we are in the middle of it but we need to rest in the fact that God has a plan. He has a point just like I did in this, even if you didn't understand it at first.
   Just like a plant needs water; sun light; and dirt, we need Jesus' blood; Son light; and dirt. We need dirt problems because they provide us with the nutrients we need to grow. It may be we need more patience, wisdom, kindness, Self-control, or love. We have dirt thrown at us so we can grow in those areas. God is shaping us and helping us grow. Never forget that God is helping you grow in him. He walks with you and you can rest assured that nothing is impossible with him.
   So, when you go through problems, or dirt, in life do you know it is to help you grow? Do you believe that nothing is impossible with God? Will you walk with Him no matter what is thrown at you?

   Colossians 1:9-10, 2 Corinthians 5:9, Philippians 4:6-7