I remember as a child saying to my mom, “Why do my legs hurt?” Whether it was medically correct or not, my mom’s answer was always, “It’s just growing pains.” As I recall, our doctor at the time agreed with my mom’s diagnosis. So how long do the growing pains last? The first growing pains are physical; after that they get a little more complicated. As I look around at my friends, some in their early 30’s, others in their mid 60’s, I see people who are going through tremendous growing pains. One friend is in therapy trying to save her marriage; another lost a 10 year old son to leukemia; another is dealing with a serious legal problem…all are aching emotionally, possibly spiritually and yes, all are growing pains. As Christians we know that difficulties are opportunities for tremendous growth. They can be heart-wrenching and seemingly impossible to survive, but with our eyes on God, there’s always growth. In 2 Corinthians Paul pleads with God to take away his difficulty, a thorn in his side. The answer, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” No matter how difficult your situation might be, keep your eyes on Jesus and your response simple, “It’s just growing pains,” and prepare to feel His strength in your weakness.
– Kim Hendrix