Last weekend I got to spend some quality time with my granddaughter Belle after not seeing her for a few weeks, and the first thing I noticed was how much she had grown. Her legs are longer, and her upper body has also expanded, yet she doesn’t feel any bigger. She still believes she is just waiting to grow up, not realizing she’s on her way every minute of every day.

One thing that never ceases to amaze me is when my pastor tells me he sees spiritual growth in me. All I see is how immature I am; how many changes I still need to make to get to where I want to be as a Christian “adult.”

Belle will eventually become the first grader, the teenager, and the grown up she wants to be, but as it is happening, she can’t see it. It is only as an adult that she will be able to look back and see her growth over time. But waiting is hard.

For me, I have to wait until I stand before God to see my spiritual growth, to understand how each moment of my life affected my growth. It’s hard to wait, and it’s frustrating, but in the end it will all be worth it.