I recently participated in a retreat where the speaker made this point. Death often precedes new life. Jesus’ death made the way for new life. And a seed must die before a tree is born.

Growth requires the use of two personal skills. They include the deconstruction of some old beliefs and behaviors. And the reconstruction of some new beliefs and behaviors.

Deconstruction

Often there are self-survival thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that start in youth and carry over into adulthood. They are repeated so often they become habitual. Habits become behaviors that never get reviewed. Those bad beliefs just quietly live in the background, in your emotional system. That is until some bad behavior escalates and creates a crisis. After a crisis all unhealthy beliefs and behaviors should be reviewed for deconstruction.

Reconstruction

Childhood survival beliefs and behaviors are described differently in adulthood. Those behaviors are called selfish, self-centered and self-absorbed. These are the areas needing reconstruction.

Childhood survival beliefs turn into negative adult behaviors and once acted upon they often create a crisis. One must put away childish beliefs and behaviors and move to more mature, Godly beliefs and actions.

The retreat speaker told his story of failure. It was raw, real and unbelievably honest. He further told how he has been working for 13 years on a mission of deconstruction and reconstruction.

You might be asking, “How did the retreat speaker fail?” I’d rather not go into the details of his story. I’d rather you make this about you. What childhood survival beliefs, behaviors, or habits do you carry? Do you see them? Do you own them? Can you name them? And, are you working on them?

Ask the Heavenly Father for help. We should always be in growth mode. That means putting away less mature behaviors for more mature ways. Childhood behaviors living in an adult relationships always causes problems. Please make sure you are also on a Deconstruction and Reconstruction growth mission.

Ask the Father for help when dealing with any selfish, habitual, negative beliefs that live deep in your soul.

Bible Connection

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

1 Corinthians 13:11 (NIV)

Prayer

Heavenly Father, please help me with growth. Help me deconstruct some old, immature ways and move to more mature ways. Your ways are far better than my ways. Amen.