I never had shoes that fit. Mama would stuff the toes of our shoes with tissue paper. “Growing room” mama called it. As a child, I had two pair of dress shoes; black patent worn after Labor Day and white patent worn after Easter. My sister and I wiggled our toes, and tried to make the awkward feeling of the crumbled tissue paper more comfortable. Peering across the pews at church, I wondered if the girls with fancy hair bows had growing room in their shoes too.
These memories from over thirty-five years ago flood my mind as I pull Andrew’s much-to-big JV soccer uniform from the dryer. His uniform swallows him and his socks are enormous. Growing room, I chuckle to myself. Our son plays on the middle school soccer team; however, the JV coach invited to Andrew “play up” on five JV soccer games this season. We agreed understanding the benefits and challenges of playing against more experienced athletes. 
I watch Andrew proudly walk on the JV field, he looks like David surrounded by a team of Goliath’s. The night before, he tried on his uniform. Aggravated by the much-too-big-size, I whispered, “Don’t worry, you’ll grow into it. You’ve got growing room.”
Days later, the phrase growing room resurfaces. While shoe shopping with Rachel she said, “Mom, I think I’ll choose a half-size bigger, ya know for growing room.” I retold the story of mama stuffing tissue paper in the toes of our shoes. Seated on the bench she removed her shoes and asked, “Was it uncomfortable to walk in those shoes stuffed with tissue paper?” Scanning the shelves for her size I reply, “Very uncomfortable at first, but you get used to it.” Handing her a pair of boots off the clearance rack, I said, “Rachel, sometimes God hands us situations bigger than we can handle. Just like the shoes with growing room, our faith requires growing room too.”
[bctt tweet=” Like oversized shoes, our faith requires growing room too.” username=”RedChairMoments”]
God often gives His children situations too big to handle. Recently, I wrote about Moses and his motley crew of Israelites stuck between the enemy and a sea too big to cross. I titled this article, Why Would God Induce an Attack on His Children. The abbreviated answer from last week is for God to get the glory and for His name prove that I AM LORD. (Exodus 14:4)
Another reason God places His children in situations too big to handle is for our faith to grow. Just as I had to grow into my shoes and Andrew needs to grow into his uniform, challenging circumstances allows our tears to water the small mustard seed of faith. God’s word tells us “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20).
Do you feel overwhelmed by your current circumstance? Are you facing a situation too big for you? Remember God places His children in situations too big to handle for our faith to grow. Your faith has growing room.
~April Dawn White
All Scripture is NIV from Bible Gateway. © 2016 April Dawn White, All rights reserved
April, I love your precious spirit. Thank you for this encouraging word.
Thank you, April, for this encouraging post.
April, I love this. “Growing room.” Thank you.