There came a moment when the truth of spiritual growth became clear. Maturity was never meant to serve only oneself. Milk naturally focuses inward. Milk nurtures, comforts, and stabilizes. Meat carries a different purpose. Meat equips, strengthens, and prepares believers to serve and feed others.
The lesson became tangible when people began seeking me out. Friends, acquaintances, and even strangers came with struggles, questions, and confusion. Their arrival was not connected to perfection. Their arrival was connected to stability. Growth had produced steadiness that others recognized and trusted.
A profound shift developed within me. Responses changed. Rather than rushing toward solutions or trying to impress people with knowledge, I listened. I engaged. Scripture became more than information. Truth carried weight through experience rather than memorization alone. Romans 10:17 gained deeper meaning: faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
One night the Lord spoke through another dream. I found myself breaking large loaves of bread and placing pieces into the hands of people gathered around me. This bread felt heavy and substantial. Some struggled to chew. Others rejected the bread entirely and turned away. Behind me Jesus stood quietly watching. Then He spoke: Feed them anyway.
Understanding settled deeply within my spirit. Ministry is never measured through approval or acceptance. Obedience remains the true measure. Certain people will prefer milk and remain comfortable with familiar places. Our responsibility remains faithfulness regardless of response.
The resolve became unmistakably clear. Comfort would no longer become a hiding place. Truth would not become diluted for acceptance. Jesus, the one true God, had faithfully sustained every stage of growth. Milk brought me in during fragile seasons. Meat strengthened me for service. Through every stage Jesus remained faithful, shaping, leading, and preparing me for what He had called me to become.