Dirt Don't Hurt

I remember growing up if food fell on the floor, someone would say 'God made dirt, dirt don't hurt, put it in your mouth and make it work' lol!  My mom used to say 'a little dirt won't hurt you'!  She was so right!

Dirt (aka soil) is necessary for growth.  Just as plants cannot grow without dirt, we can't grow neither.  The dirt I'm referring to for us is disguised as hardships, trials, difficulties and all of those uncomfortable elements we would rather not experience!  I mean, who wants to get dirty?!  Ugh lol!

These days we don't want to experience any pain or suffer at all.  We are quick to run to the doctor to get antibiotics at the first sign of a cold.  A lot of us are like that with life in general.  At the first sign of trouble we look for some type of relief.  We look for shortcuts which prevents us from growing.  Let's not run to get 'pain medicine' to relieve the pain or get the 'bandaid' to try to cover the scar!  Let's give ourselves the chance to grow, to build our muscles, and to get stronger!

"You wonder why God, Who is goodness itself, allows us to suffer.  But what would you think of a doctor who lost his patient because he was afraid to give him the necessary but unpleasant treatment?" 

- St. John Vianney

'You'll thank me later' is something my mom used to say to me and I find myself saying to this to my sons!  There are some lessons that we have to teach our children that doesn't feel good to us but we know it is very necessary.  We discipline our kids because we love them.  We set boundaries for our kids because we love them.  We don't give our kids everything they want because we love them!  If we do this for our kids we should expect this and more from God.  The love He has for us is incomparable to any type of love we have ever given or receive from others.  Everything we go through is for our good.  Everything we go through is to make us whole and to complete us.  It is not to tear us down, it is to build us up.  Trust God and just grow through.

How do you respond to difficulties, challenges, trials?  How do you respond when things don't go as planned or don't go your way?  How do you respond when you fall or make a mistake?  Your response defines you!  If you give up, you'll be a quitter.  You don't want to be defined as a quitter!  Don't give up when you face challenges.  It is the challenges that help us grow!  Are you going to bloom or wither?  I know you're going to bloom!!

The next time you say to yourself or think to yourself, 'why am I going through this' remember 'this' is helping you to grow.  You need that dirt.  You need that dark place.  You need that difficulty.  You needed that defeat.  All of that is helping you to grow so count it all joy!  Grow in grace!

Seasoned with Grace,

QueenZadia