There comes a time in every baby’s life when he or she must give up the pacifier and the bottle. For some, it’s harder than for others. Despite the torturous tears and persistent protests, the day of giving up what has become such a comforting part of life must one day come. As parents, we realize that, while those things are helpful for a season, there comes a time when a child’s growth would be inhibited if he continued to rely on them. Can you imagine a grown man or woman whipping out a pacifier for comfort or pulling out a bottle with dinner? Ha! Even though babies protest the loss of things they’ve grown to love and cherish, loving parents insist on removing them from a child’s life in order that they may continue to grow and mature.

Like growing children, we, too, often resist giving up spiritual pacifiers and bottles. Like a loving parent, God insists we let them go. He knows the things He’s placed in our lives for a season to help us grow that eventually begin to hinder our relationship with Him. While important and worthwhile in our growth as believers, it’s easy to allow such gifts from the Lord to become idols, to depend more on the gifts than on the Giver. Our ultimate goal is to rely fully and completely on the Father, just as Jesus did. As God lovingly pries the spiritual pacifiers and bottles from our hands, we protest loudly (some of us more than others!) With the spiritual crutches gone in God’s perfect timing, we learn to trust more fully in Him and to walk with greater spiritual strength and purpose.

So what are the pacifiers or bottles to which we cling as believers? Maybe it’s a special Christian friend or mentor. Maybe it’s a faith community in which we’re loved and respected. Maybe it’s a person or persons who love and support us unconditionally. Maybe it’s a particular work or ministry effort. Maybe it’s a person or group of people we’ve been given responsibility for discipling for a season. These are all things God has given me personally for a season and then taken away. For you, they may be different.

Regardless of the brand of pacifier or type of infant feeding method, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord!” God knows what’s best for each of us and leads us down the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Oh, how much better our lives are when we embrace the One Who created us and Who loves us more than we can fully comprehend, even and especially when He removes things from our life that stunt our growth in Him.

Lord, help us to remember that you love us just as we are, but that you love us far too much to leave us that way. Grant us grace and strength to trust You with all our hearts. Fill us with Your peace which surpasses understanding as we choose to rely on You and let go of the pacifiers and bottles to which we selfishly cling.