Stretching

I am not the most flexible man in the world (flexible as in limber although I am not super flexible in convictions/stubbornness either) and I am certainly not an expert on the subject, however, one thing I do know is that the more time I spend stretching the more flexible I become. If I were to never exercise or stretch, i would become much more stiff and inflexible and I wouldn't be able to do the same things that I could when I am consistently stretching and improving my flexibility. In fact, I would probably hurt myself if I tried to do something to suddenly without gradually working up to it.

Have you noticed that our spiritual lives work the same way. I have found the God works us up to many of the more challenging things that he wants us to do. This has played out over and over again in my life. One such time was the time leading up to and including being laid off from a job. When I look back at that time now, I see how God was gradually preparing me for that difficult time. The path God took me to my current job as a pastor was one of gradual stretching which ultimately led to me being able to get to the point of becoming a pastor at a church plant.

I bring all of this up because I now find myself in yet another time of stretching. Over the last several months, I have been arguing and fighting God on my openness to adoption. My wife has wanted to adopt since before I even met her and once we started having kids, I never really considered it or wanted it. But God has been telling me, for at least the last few months, that he wants me to pursue adoption. THIS IDEA FREAKS ME OUT. I have no idea how it's going to work in many different respects. What I do know is that I have seen God come through time and time again and every single time it has involved me being stretched and even if somewhat reluctantly, I am going to be obedient to Him and do what He asks.

God is gracious with me and never asks me to do something unless he has already prepared me or is preparing me for whatever it is. Muscles grow better when they are properly stretched. So do Christ followers. Are you allowing Him to stretch you?