As a kid I assumed I’d figure important things out at some magical moment.

I assumed I’d eventually outgrow my fear of the dark, for instance, by simply waking up braver one day. I assumed I’d understand more about God once I grew up. And obviously I’d become be a super famous writer with multiple credits to my name. I didn’t know how, but I was sure it would happen.

I still remember the moment I conquered my fear of the dark. It wasn’t magical, but a conscious decision. I was 10 or so, and deliberately marched through our large backyard one night with my head held high, resisting the urge to sprint back inside.

Thankfully I grew in my understanding of God as well, but not because I became an adult. It was because I realized I needed to be intentional about spending time with him and studying his Word.

I’m still waiting for the super famous writer thing to work out. I guess I need to stick with the principle I learned along the way — there is no magical date that makes things better.