Stay Sharp, Embrace Growth

“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

Proverbs 27:17

The knife glided cleanly through the onion. Slice. Chop. Repeat. At least something in this house was working the way it should.

I, on the other hand, felt anything but sharp.

Lately, my mind felt sluggish and foggy. Simple conversations took more effort. Work felt harder. Even at church, where I usually felt confident, I found myself struggling. I did not feel as clever or creative as I normally am. I knew it was just part of this postpartum season, but it was frustrating all the same.

My husband Chris walked in the kitchen and asked how I was feeling. So I began to share.

Though I was not speaking well about myself or my current situation, he did not dismiss my feelings. In fact, instead he leaned across the counter and reminded me of what the Word of God says. He continued by making sure I knew how important I am to him and to the Lord.

“Look, I know how you are feeling,” he said gently. “But, Bri, your faith and your words have to match! You are still working to where you want to be.”

Something about his words cut straight through the noise in my head. It was a simple statement loaded with so much truth. I wanted to argue, to explain why I felt justified in my discouragement. But deep down, I knew he was right.

Later, as I picked up the knife again, I thought about what it takes to keep a blade like this sharp. It does not happen by accident. It has to be sharpened, honed, and pressed against something that refines it.

I closed my eyes for a moment. “Thank You, Lord, for a husband who sharpens me every time instead of letting me stay stuck.”

Being sharpened is not always comfortable. It takes truth, challenge, and people willing to say the hard things in love. It is easy to resist sharpening because it requires friction. But dullness is not what we were made for. The people who love us enough to challenge us—those are the ones who help us become who God intends us to be.

Do not push them away. Embrace it, and let God give you the edge to be exactly who He has called you to be.