A Prayer for Embracing and Celebrating Personal Growth
By Vivian Bricker
Bible Reading:
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” - 2 Peter 3:18
Listen or Read Below:
When I was a preteen, the last thing I wanted to do was to grow up. Like many children, I wanted to stay a child forever. While some children dream of the day they are adults, other children want to stay in the safety of childhood forever. Sadly, the latter is not an option; we all have to grow up. Even though I didn’t enjoy growing up, I have now learned how to embrace and celebrate growth in my life.
Recently, I had to go to the doctor and one of my worst fears is to get my blood drawn. I’m known in my doctor’s office as someone who is hard to draw blood from. However, during this specific doctor’s visit, my blood being drawn was not a big deal. The woman who took my blood did it effortlessly, and there was little to no pain. While this nurse takes blood every day and didn’t think much about it, I was extremely proud of myself for getting through it.
Before my visit, I prayed constantly and asked the Lord for His help. I’ve always been afraid of having my blood drawn because of so many bad experiences. On one occasion at the hospital, three nurses were trying to get an IV line in, and they played my veins like a ukulele. It’s safe to say that I probably will always have a fear of getting my blood drawn; however, it showed much growth in my life by simply choosing to get my blood drawn rather than directly leaving the office out of fear.
We need to embrace and celebrate the little wins in our personal growth. Our growth might not be evident to others, but we can often see it clearly in our own lives. Personal growth for you could be staying calm when a family member is trying to agitate you or choosing to take the higher road when someone insults you.
The Apostle Peter tells us, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen” (2 Peter 3:18). As Peter says, we need always to be growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. Growth is to be seen as a beautiful blessing, and we should be on the lookout for new growth opportunities.
Let’s Pray:
Dear Lord, I have often overlooked my personal growth, but now I understand that I must embrace and celebrate it. Help me to grow in the grace and knowledge of You, Lord. I don’t want to grow in accordance with the world any longer. I’m choosing to fully follow You and grow in You. Thank You, Lord. To You belongs the glory and praise forever! Amen.
Related Resource: The Blind Spots Hurting Your Relationships, with Debra Fileta
In this episode of I Wish You Could Hear This, Shaunti and Jeff Feldhahn sit down with licensed professional counselor and bestselling author Debra Fileta for an honest and insightful conversation about the relationship blind spots many of us don’t realize we have. Together, they explore how emotional patterns, past wounds, and unrecognized habits can quietly shape the way we connect with others.
Debra shares practical wisdom on how to grow in self-awareness, strengthen communication, and take ownership of the ways we impact the people we love. Whether you’re dating, married, leading others, or simply wanting healthier relationships, this episode offers hope-filled tools to help you break unhealthy cycles and build deeper connection.
If you’ve ever wondered why relationships can feel harder than they should—or how to become a healthier version of yourself—this conversation is for you. Like what you hear? Be sure to follow I Wish You Could Hear This on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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