Growth is an interesting concept. Tiny seeds grow to become mighty trees. Young children grow to become adults with goals, dreams, and ideals. My journey of growth hasn't been very different from others' paths.
I was a child once. I began to form innocent fancies and thoughts about my future. Of course, when you're young, everything is a fairy tale. I just knew that someday I would be a famous singer and that I would be swept off my feet by a handsome prince. These were certainties.
As I grew, my visions for the future changed; my desires changed. I no longer desired to be a famous singer. Instead, I wanted to use my talents for the Lord. I wanted to attend a Christian university and major in Music Ministry. I still knew that Prince Charming was just around the corner. These were certainties.
As I went through various levels of school and life, my dreams and goals kept evolving. With each step I took, the rest of my future shifted. And I began to realize something: there are no certainties in life. I am almost twenty-six years old. I'm still working on my undergraduate degree, I'm single, and my life doesn't look like I thought it would.
When I was young, I could have sworn that my life would follow the plan I had prescribed. It's twenty years later, and I still have no clue where my life is headed. The one thing that has remained constant in my life is my desire to serve God with everything I have.
I may not have a clear picture of what the next step is, but He does. He always has. When I have strayed from His plan, He has never once thrown up His hands in despair. God doesn't get frustrated with my inept wanderings. As much as I have changed, He never has.
My relationship with God has never been stagnant. Even when I have been sullen and unrepentant, it has been a part of the growing process. It is always changing, always growing, and always important. This is a certainty.
