Originally featured on www.PrettyandWise.com
I have been spending oodles of time with my new granddaughter lately. In just 2 months I’ve watched her transform from a little lump of sleeping love to a creature who definitely has her own opinion about things. She’s a big fan of contact naps and her mama. Baths and diaper changes, not so much. Getting to know her as her own little person has brought so much joy to my heart!
One of the things I have most enjoyed about these last two months is watching her parents pour into her. With hearts that long to love her well they have read, studied and listened to learn and have been diligently investing into her daily. Observing my son, my baby, talk to her, read to her and comfort her; Observing my daughter-of-the-heart care for her so tenderly, being attuned to her needs and speaking life and love over her sweetly. Beautifully and intentionally they have risen to the task of parenting and it’s a gift to watch from the sidelines.
For now, she will receive. She will absorb. She will take in all of the new information and the care and the learning and as a result she will continue to grow and develop and become more of who she was created to be.
One day, however, it will be necessary and important that she begin to invest in herself. If her parents were to continue with the current level of investment indefinitely, that would be unhealthy- both for her and for them.
I wonder, daughter of God, were there individuals in your early walk with Christ who invested in you richly? Or perhaps you are still early in your relationship with the Lord and are blessed to be surrounded by others who are helping you learn to stand and walk so that one day you can run. It’s the way the Father created it to be. That as believers we would be discipled so that we could then, in turn, disciple others.
There are several dear ones that I hold close to my heart that have been part of my discipling journey. The job was definitely too big for one person to handle. These sweet souls ministered to me patiently. Encouraged me with truth. Taught me the Word, how to pray, how to worship, how to study. For a while, it was probably like caring for a newborn. There was always a mess to clean up and I had to be spoon fed. I cried all the time!
I began to grow. I began to apply the principals I had been taught and eventually-and let me not understate the emphasis needed for that word- I learned to water myself. To pick up the Word and read it myself. To stir my own soul up when I was struggling. To remind myself of the truth. To spend time with the Lord because I knew I needed to for the benefit of my own heart and not because someone else was going to ask me if I had to keep me accountable.
I am thankful to still have others in my life that disciple me but it looks different now. We disciple one another. We mentor one another. There is a mutual encouragement and uplifting that takes place sometimes simultaneously, sometimes not. It mirrors my now relationship with my adult children. This is what happens when we grow and mature. We transform from one who is only able to take and receive to one who is able to both give and receive.
There were defining moments in this journey that I remember well.
That moment when the Lord revealed to my heart that there were places He wanted to bring healing within and asked if I would let Him. Essentially, we had one of those “Do you want to be well?” situations. I couldn’t understand the reason for the question since I had been asking for that very thing. It was painful when He showed me that my woundedness had become my identity and to receive His healing would mean learning to be someone new.
And He met me there.
The phone call during which my dear older and wiser friend whom I leaned on strongly during our pediatric cancer journey with our daughter told me “Tanya, from now on, before you call me, I need you to spend some time talking to Jesus first.” She knew that there was no amount of love and care she could provide that could compare to that of my Lord. I think after the 15th phone call that week she knew I needed more than she could provide.
And He met me there.
That time when I was a bawling mess and reached out to all of my “regulars,” only to be met with voice mail. Like literally, how could every single one of my people be busy at the same time?! I remember sitting in my car, throwing my hands up in frustration, dramatically saying out loud, “Well, God, I guess I’ll just have to talk to you!” And then immediately, after hearing the words that came out of my own mouth, I realized how ridiculous and telling that was all at the same time.
And He met me there.
God intends for each of us to be discipled, encouraged and taught. In turn, He intends for us to learn through receiving how to do these things for ourselves and eventually for others.
Why is that song “The Circle of Life” playing in my head right now?
Discipleship is important. A healthy relationship with a mentor shifts and transitions overtime as the one that is being discipled learns, grows and develops into a more mature believer.
The goal is to help each one develop an intimate relationship with their Abba Father. That they would know His love and care above all others. That they would learn to engage with Him on a daily basis in an up close and personal way through study of His Word, prayer and worship.
God intends for us to do life with people. He never intended for people to take His place in our life. It’s important that we find that just-right-balance.
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