"Be serious! Be alert! Your adversary, the Devil, is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour."
— 1 Peter 5:8
My mom loves flowers and birds. They are two of her many favorite things in life and she can practically name them all. She has a large flower bed and loves to plant different species of flowers and plants, watching them grow to see what they will become and how they will transition to their new home as a transplant from another place. It's hard to imagine how these plants grow into what they are.
Sometimes her plants die and wither away, but most of the time they thrive and bring her so much joy each day. She loves to watch as they grow, bloom, and transform. Just as my mom loves seeing her flowers grow, our Heavenly Father delights in seeing us grow.
When we are small, He watches us develop and learn about Him. As we get older, we increase in wisdom as we study His Word and in strength as we trust Him to sustain us through every trial we endure in life. 1 Timothy 2:1-4 tells us what pleases God: "First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, for kings and all those who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good, and it pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." These verses teach us that God is pleased by our intimate relationship with Him and our obedience to His commands in scripture, to His purpose, and to His timing.
You are a beautiful, blossoming flower to God, bringing joy to Him daily. Life is not always rosy, but Matthew 19:26 gives us just what we need to know right now: "But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." God's delights in seeing us mature in Him.
Are you growing closer to Him today or withering under the world's pressure?
I challenge you to set aside time daily to make God's Word a priority. You cannot grow if you are not being fed consistently. Set a calendar appointment to ensure it happens, and before long, you will not need the reminder because you will crave that time with God.
We must be equipped to fight against the snares of the enemy by putting on the WHOLE armor of God as outlined in Ephesians 6:10-18. Our spiritual maturing can be hindered by the world's temptations which is why the protection of the armor of God is necessary to our ultimate growth.