Milk vs. Solid Food

As I was reading in Hebrews this morning, I came across this:

Hebrews 5:11-14, "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teachings about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

I kept thinking back to last summer when it was such a struggle to get Emily to eat solid food - to teach her how to eat it and to be thankful when she ate one or two bites at a time. I remember her arching her back and crying over the whole ordeal of being fed this food and desiring only milk. It took daily effort, discipline, and perseverance. Now, she loves solid food.

How often is this true of me? Isn't it so much easier to just think over the things I already understand and believe than to dig deeper into God's Word for new things to learn? The learning of the new takes study, thought, effort, and discipline - much like training a baby to eat solid food.

I love the reminder in verse 14, "who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." It is daily. It is discipline - think of the word 'trained'. I picture my Dad - a great runner of marathons, who without training, would not be able to complete the race. But, because of discipline, desire, and goals along the way is able to run with perseverance and finish the race!

Today, I want it to be in the front of my mind to desire solid food ~ in spite of and because of the work it will require. And, to train myself by constant use to distinguish good and evil.