grow

There’s a small, very small, percentage of people who are truly content staying in the same place. That’s generally those who are 50 and older. I don’t mean staying in the same job or living in the same house. I mean staying in the same place, whatever that may be. Mostly physical. If it also means something emotional or psychological, changing the physical can often be the catalyst to a healthy emotional or psychological change. There comes a time when changing the atmosphere is a stronger need than a want.

When should you change the atmosphere?

“Well, when you’re unhappy, of course!”

Not necessarily. When I’ve been unhappy in places or situations, I consider the holy struggle that I believe is mine to share with Christ, and that’s to be put in circumstances that are either meant to help me grow or help someone else. If we left everything that ever made us unhappy, we’d be going on an endless, futile journey. And everyone is made happy by different things. Happiness is important, but it should never be the main thing we consider when we want a change of atmosphere.

A change of atmosphere is in order when you see an end to growth. If you wake up and realize that you are the same person that you were last week, a lightbulb should go off. A healthy place is a place where you are growing, lots, and if you’re not, then it’s time to move on. Also, if you discover that no one has been positively changed by you being there in recent history, then that also should trigger a lightbulb. It may be difficult to separate the absence of purpose from the absence of happiness, but that’s because the two usually go hand in hand. If you are feeling unhappy, take a deep look and try to figure out why. If it’s just because you want to escape some problems or you can’t stand a certain person or you want to try something new, maybe it’s not the best to go just yet. But, if you really believe deep down that you are not growing and no one else is growing, then consider making a change of scenery.

The pursuit of change and growth is always a good thing. What creates problems is if the reason for change is not necessarily a good thing. Remember, character comes before dreams.

I remember at the beginning of 2014 that I had the sense that it would be a very eventful year. That was just the word that kept rolling around in my head. The only explanation of why I got that feeling, and kept feeling it, would be that it came from the Holy Spirit. And it was true after all. 2014 was a very eventful year, for me and everyone around me, with both good and bad events. I ended the year quite exhausted and overwhelmed. And now, at the beginning of 2015, I have the odd feeling that it’s going to be a year of change. What sort of change? Well that’s the little detail that seems to elude me.

That little thought somewhat unnerves me. News of coming change is always unnerving. But I do feel in my heart that it might all be change that is necessary. At the prompting of a friend, I chose a word that would be my focus of the year, a word that would define what I hoped to grow in and achieve during that year. In 2014 it was trust.

I don’t think I would necessarily choose “change” as my word for 2015. Now, though this may seem vague, I believe it’s a choice word for 2015: growth. More specifically, personal growth. By this word I mean that, in 2015, I really want to grow myself, make myself a better person, strengthen my strengths, attend to my shortcomings, and go after and achieve some dreams. It does seem to cover a broad range, but in a year of change, growth is very important.

This is my statement, for 2015. When I look toward the near future I almost find myself shaking in my boots. There’s something magnificent and life changing up ahead that intimidates me.

But it also excites me 🙂