Time - Be Awkward but Grow

Today’s topic is all about time—being awkward but growing.

Growth is never smooth, right? Think about learning to ride a bike—wobbly starts, scraped knees, and a lot of “don’t let go yet!” But that’s how growth works. It takes time, and it’s often awkward before it’s beautiful.

Philippians 1:6 reminds us, “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” That means even when we feel like we’re in the messy middle, God is still at work. So, let’s talk about embracing the awkward seasons of growth, trusting that every moment—no matter how clunky—is shaping us into who God designed us to be.

My kids like to make smoothies from time to time. My middle child pretty much figured out the ratio needed, and so when my oldest tried to make one, he was advising him. In typical fashion, no listening happened, and so my eldest’s smoothie pretty much ended up as flavored milk.

When we do what we want and with what we are capable of doing without consulting God or even just someone who’s gone before us, we can think we are doing good until we realize we made a mistake somewhere along the way and our “smooth” ride has become very messy and not at all what we wanted.

Like that smoothie, when we mix things our way without God, we end up with something thin and unsatisfying. Growth happens when we let Him guide the process.

We can be a little leery of change and growth because we don’t know what will come out of it. Sometimes things just happen, and we then realize that we are struggling because there is growth happening.

In the times where we know we need to make changes, we hesitate because we don’t want to mess up—we want it to be smooth. That probably won’t be the case though, because in our humanness, our flesh can fight the growth that God is doing in us. It doesn’t feel right or makes us uncomfortable, but regardless of how it goes, it is all necessary.

In the times we find ourselves in the midst, change can feel chaotic but necessary at the same time.

No matter how you get to the point of change and growth, know that God is using every moment for your good.

Growth is a step-by-step process where we need to give ourselves some grace.

We like things to be done quickly—it’s the world we live in. But think about some stories from the Bible and the time it took for some of the people to be ready to receive what it was that God had for them.

Growth takes time, and time is where we will find that God reveals so much and also where we will come to learn that His timing is far better than our timing. God works outside our time constraints, so don’t become discouraged—stay encouraged, knowing that God is with you every step of the way.

Be awkward and soak up every bit of growth that God brings at just the right time.

Let’s be real: the middle stages of growth are not glamorous. They’re awkward, unpredictable, and sometimes downright uncomfortable. But awkward doesn’t mean pointless.

Philippians 1:6 says God is still at work in us, carrying on the good work He started. That means today’s struggles, mistakes, or half-baked attempts are part of the process. You’re not finished yet, and that’s okay! God is patient with our process, so we can be patient too. Growth takes time, but He promises it’s worth it.

A friend sent me a text the other day, and she listed everything that had already happened to her before 10 a.m. and that she was done for the day. For me, none of what she had been through was surprising—she is pretty clumsy, and the most random things happen to her… this day was no exception.

And isn’t that how it feels when God’s stretching us? Like everything we touch just goes sideways.

Growth takes time, but with that time, we become stronger, wiser, and more capable of taking on what may come next. God provides what we need to make it through the middle stages of growth. Lean on Him and let Him carry you.

I could make a mess of things really quick if I just did what I wanted to do and said what I wanted to say.

It has taken time and growth for me to learn how to keep my mouth shut, and it is still taking me time to figure out how to get my face to follow that… my facial expressions are loud.

I remember this one time in my life that I wanted something to go my way so badly that I got way too intense and I screwed up so badly. It was one of those times that I didn’t think about the consequences of my words or actions, and I just did what I wanted.

Backfire could not explain what happened next—but God did use this as a huge growth lesson for me. This was a hard lesson, and it made me rethink so many things in my life. It was a defining moment that needed to happen. Growth often comes from awkward messiness, but the beauty that comes from it is amazing, and that is something only God can do.

God is always at work—nothing that happens goes to waste in His hands.

Think about it: every big change comes with awkward beginnings. First jobs, new friendships, even walking with God—all a little clunky at first. But God doesn’t roll His eyes at our awkwardness; He celebrates our progress.

Philippians 1:6 says He’s faithful to finish what He started in us. That means we’re all works in progress, and that’s good news! So, if you’re in the middle of something right now that feels messy or slow, take heart—you’re right where God wants you, and He’s not done yet.

Have you ever felt worn out from trying? Life can hit us hard, and when we are exhausted from giving so much, we just don’t want to keep trying anymore.

When we get to this point, that is when we start to question so many things, like if anyone really cares or appreciates what we are doing, or if we are even doing the right thing.

Here’s the thing though—we cannot rely on what others think or even really hold too tightly to how things are going. We need to rely on God and how He says we are doing.

When we are in a growth pattern, we need to look to the One who knows where our heart lies and really ask Him to help us see where we are and who we are through His perspective. Because looking through our own or others, we won’t get the true picture of what is happening inward. God is the only One who can reveal and help us with our inner and spiritual growth. Once we rely on God only in that aspect, you will notice the difference, and so will others.

Growth has to start somewhere, and that then leads to some awkward moments of uncertainty. But we hope that we can be different and will be different with the growth. We are getting a chance to rewrite so many things from our past just by coming to the Lord and letting Him know that we are ready for change.

So, hold tight to God, my friends. Growth will bring on so many different things, but when you know that God is the One doing the pruning and watering, that awkwardness won’t last long, and you will be growing good fruits in no time.

Be awkward and soak up every bit of growth that God brings at just the right time.

Here’s the encouragement I want you to carry with you: awkwardness is part of growth. We don’t have to have it all figured out, because God’s not expecting perfection—He’s working on progress.

Philippians 1:6 promises us that the good work God started in us, He will finish. That means no season of struggle, no awkward stage, no clumsy step is wasted.

Growth takes time, but God is faithful with every detail of that time.

So today, instead of getting frustrated by the awkward parts, smile at them. They’re proof that God is growing you. And He’s not done with you yet.