Spiritual and Emotional Growth Only Comes Through Trials

Those who were sweet and loving as young people tend to grow more sweet and loving as they age. Those who are mean as young people become more mean.

Whatever we are on the inside while we are young is intensified as we age because our real character comes from within no longer hidden.

Old people do not become rude and mean because they get older, they only stop hiding what they were all their lives.

Old people who are kind and loving become more so as they age because this was the real them all along.

Old age does not make anyone rude or mean, nor does it make anyone sweeter, whatever is inside all our lives will be what we are on the outside when we no longer have the strength to hide it.

May believers remember this dynamic and strive to become more Christlike as they move through life, that toward the end of their lives they are a dynamic witness of Christ to those who watch their infirmities increase as their trust in Christ increases.

May the world see Christ in us as we move through all the trials of old age. Anyone can pretend life is perfect when there are no trials and they can even deny the trials to pretend God's favor is on them.

The problem with denying trials to appear superior is that it has no power from God to show our strength in all the things of life including infirmity. Unbelievers can spot a fake and will not be impressed with those who hoodwink others into believing they are spiritual for lack of trials.

Hebrews 12:7-9
"7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?"

James 1:2-8 "2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,
3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.
7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do."

Those who do not have trials do not grow emotionally or Spiritually, those who deny they have trials also do not grow emotionally or Spiritually.

Growth only comes through the working of the Holy Spirit on our lives when we submit to Him. Authenticity, honesty and humility are the elements that must be present to be able to grow.