You've Got To Do Your Own Growing No Matter How Tall Your Grandfather Is

A conversation earlier today reminded me of a blog entry I posted several years ago, and after reviewing it I thought I would repost it:


In my personal reading this morning there was a thought that spoke volumes to me: "Nothing in your past guarantees that you will continue growing toward your potential in the future--not positions attained degrees earned, experience gained, awards received or fortunes acquired." It echoes the old Irish proverb, "You've got to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather is." It is all too easy for us to allow our past victories or failures to define us, and to live in past pain or former glory. No matter where we come from in our journey, where we go from here is our choice.

Moving forward requires a willingness to grow and an acceptance of change. Most people fight against change, especially when it affects them personally. Tolstoy said, "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself." The ironic thing is, change is inevitable. Everyone has to deal with change, yet the growth change offers is optional. You can chose to grow through life's changes or you can fight it. If we are unwilling to change or grow we will never reach our full potential.

My prayer for you is that God will place within you a willingness to grow and change in whatever ways necessary to reach your full potential in Christ... because He has great things in store for you.

"For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height -- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."
Ephesians 3:14-19