Becoming

The process of becoming is messy.

Are you willing to do it? Are you willing to step out into the dark, the unknown? The path is hard, and there are setbacks and mistakes and curveballs along the way. Is it worth it?

The answer is yes. Becoming is growth, and growth is beautiful.

I watched my mom make all kinds of food for every occasion. While that was helpful, it really didn’t make me a good cook. You know what helped?

My own practice.

One of the first things I ever made was a muffin. I was 10. Tragically, I used baking powder instead of baking soda. It tasted horrible. They went straight to the trash.

Another time, when I was much older, I was cooking chicken in the oven. When it was done, I reached in and tipped the pan so much that my dinner slipped out the backside onto the bottom of the oven. UGH! That was disappointing.

I have a million other cooking debacles, but you get the idea. Becoming is not a tidy process.

You cannot develop into the person you want to become by passively observing on the sidelines. At some point, you must step into the mess and go for it. And yet, so many of us don’t. We just stay put and watch.

If this is you, there is a key piece that will get you going—grace. Get into the ring of becoming, but make sure you bring grace with you. We aren’t perfect, and that’s ok. Choose to participate anyway.

On a final note, give other people the same grace in their process of becoming. When we see others getting job promotions, or public accolades, solo parts in plays and productions, coveted team positions, or even responsibilities in church…give them grace. Those opportunities are not a recognition of their awesomeness, but a step in their path of becoming.

Take a step.

Leap, if you must.

Embrace the mess, and start becoming.