I broke my arm three times before even getting to Sub A. You see, I was rough and climbed the highest trees. When you’re rough like that, you climb without looking and before you know it, you’ve stepped on a dead branch and end up on the ground. In a lot of pain … and you know it’s broken again.

Things got better after the third time. I learnt about gravity. I found out that if you’re in the air and there’s nothing to keep you there, chances are you’re going to fall. With a good chance of breaking something.

In a way, the pain and discomfort of wearing plaster for the whole of the December vacation taught me what to do and what not to do. The pain brought maturity.

When we start believing in Jesus, we don’t know much about the Christian life. We don’t know exactly how to trust God with everything and we still want to do many things in our own strength.

We read the Bible, but much of it is still intellectual knowledge. We believe partially and do not fully trust our salvation yet. In a way, we are still babies when it comes to faith.

Life with all its struggles teaches us to leave our immature faith behind and to grow towards spiritual maturity. We learn what we must do and what we should rather stay away from.

As I learnt that it was not wise to try and walk in the air and that gravity will always play a role here on earth and pull me down, I must learn the things I have to do as a child of God, what is good for me and what is not.

This is not a short process. It’s not a three-year diploma or degree. It’s a life-long process of enduring and keep going. It’s an instruction: ⁴So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

The pain from the broken arm quickly helped me understand a few laws of nature. In the same way, pain and hardship help us quickly to trust in God. It teaches us what we should do and what we should stay away from.

In other words, suffering leads to maturity. We become spiritually mature and won’t be pushed around by our circumstances like the waves in the ocean.

When we suffer, we have to hold on and keep going. In a way we learn how to really be a child of God. In the process we develop into mature children of God. Then we’ll know what to do in any situation. Then we’ll be an example for the people trying to live life with us and we’ll fulfill our purpose. And that is to make a difference wherever we go.

Scripture
James 1:1-8

Reflection
How good are you at withstanding the hard times?
Do you understand why it happens?
How long can you endure?

Prayer
Father, my faith is like that of a child, or that is what it feels like to me. Father, I struggle with all the hits. I feel like giving up. Help me to grow more mature and to act mature. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.