August 19
When Growing Up Goes Wrong
Every person is born with a childlike heart—kind, trusting, creative, emotionally open, receptive, and completely dependent. God created it that way. Childlikeness isn’t a stage to outgrow; it’s the natural state of the soul before fear, shame, and striving take hold.
But somewhere along the road to adulthood, most of us lose the very qualities Jesus said were essential for entering the kingdom. Not because we are rebellious. Not because we are spiritually lazy. But because growing up in a broken world conditions us away from childlikeness.
We learn to defend ourselves. We learn to manage impressions. We learn to endure pain. We learn to distrust goodness. We learn to govern ourselves instead of resting in the Father’s care.
We need to honestly—and gently—examine what happens when growing up goes wrong spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. Not to create shame, but to bring clarity. Because we cannot return to childlike innocence until we understand what has pulled us away.
And the good news is this: Whatever we learned to survive, the Father can help us unlearn so we can truly live.
Becoming Childlike Again: Page 67
Every person is born with a childlike heart—kind, trusting, creative, emotionally open, receptive, and completely dependent. God created it that way. Childlikeness isn’t a stage to outgrow; it’s the natural state of the soul before fear, shame, and striving take hold.
But somewhere along the road to adulthood, most of us lose the very qualities Jesus said were essential for entering the kingdom. Not because we are rebellious. Not because we are spiritually lazy. But because growing up in a broken world conditions us away from childlikeness.
We learn to defend ourselves. We learn to manage impressions. We learn to endure pain. We learn to distrust goodness. We learn to govern ourselves instead of resting in the Father’s care.
We need to honestly—and gently—examine what happens when growing up goes wrong spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. Not to create shame, but to bring clarity. Because we cannot return to childlike innocence until we understand what has pulled us away.
And the good news is this: Whatever we learned to survive, the Father can help us unlearn so we can truly live.
Becoming Childlike Again: Page 67