What Are Growing Pains? I’m not talking about the ones that children and teenagers experience as their bodies grow. I’m talking about emotional and spiritual growing pains, which I define as: “The struggles, discomfort, or challenges that happen during a period of change, learning, or growth — the ‘pain’ that comes with moving from one stage to another.”

I would have to say that what we are going through on planet Earth right now are most definitely growing pains. It is being caused by the battle between releasing our attachment to 3D consciousness and expanding into 5D consciousness and beyond. As a species, we have been living a 3D existence for eons, focusing on the physical realm — the world of duality, good and evil, ego-driven survival, fear, and competition. In the 3D world, it’s all about physical possessions and achievements. In short: “Seeing is believing.”

On the other hand, the 5th Dimension is a higher state of consciousness. It is a vibrational reality where unity, love, compassion, and oneness are the norm. We experience the world through intuition, synchronicity, and unconditional love.

Have you found yourself receiving intuitional hints, even small ones? I have. I follow them now, and they always lead to deeper understanding or a synchronistic moment. Have you noticed yourself feeling more compassionate — even toward those you might have judged in the past? In the 5th Dimension, fear dissolves. We realize that everything is happening for us and through us. There is no separation. A succinct way to express it is: “Believing is seeing.”

Ernest Holmes wrote,

“Heaven is not a place; it is an inward state of consciousness.”This is so true. Haven’t you experienced both heaven and hell in this life without going anywhere? In New Thought, we do not believe we are destined to go to heaven or hell somewhere else — it’s all right here, and it’s a journey through consciousness. As Jesus, the great Master, once said, “In my Father’s house are many mansions.”

So back to growing pains. We are experiencing them as we move from one state of consciousness to another. I do not fear it or try to avoid it. I let it talk to me. Our discomfort — our pain — is Spirit’s way of telling us it’s time for a shift. In New Thought, we call this Divine Discontent.

Ernest Holmes described Divine Discontent as “a great virtue.” He explained: “Within us is the very essence of eternity, an impulse toward expansion and self-expression. The greater the realization of this truth, the more completely we shall be able to live.” And he added, “The dissatisfaction which urges us on to a better life is but the pressure of the Spirit seeking expression through us.”

We are not to be afraid of Divine Discontent. We can sit with it, listen, and then act. I believe eventually, we will — one way or another. When I do not listen, I usually create more trouble just to get my own attention. Divine Discontent is not a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process. As Deepak Chopra said, once we reach one horizon, another reveals itself. We are always growing and expanding into greater states of consciousness.

In our Mental Muscle class, designed by Dr. James Mellon, there are three directives we begin with: “Release, Let Go, Allow.” The aim is to be present — to see a bigger picture of our lives by releasing preconceived notions of ourselves, letting go of the past, and, most importantly, allowing Source Energy, our life force, to lead the way.

I know that when we can surrender to that part of ourselves and trust our superpowers — like intuition, our innate ability to heal, and the limitlessness of our consciousness — we will grow beyond our reliance on problems and lift ourselves into greater and greater knowing and success. I believe it is worth the journey — and worth the growing pains. There is no way to avoid growing pains. They are a blessing.
As one anonymous source wrote, “There is no growth without discomfort.” Or as John C. Maxwell said,
“If you’re growing, you’re always going to be out of your comfort zone.” I am reminded of a statement from Ernest Holmes about healing: “Right where the pain is, God is.” This is significant because God is the brilliance of who we are. Pain is the cry from our soul to return home to wholeness. Pain is actually the stress created from separation — the effort it takes to cover up our brilliance. It takes a lot of energy to hold back God from expressing Itself fully.

Growing pains are the soul’s invitation to expand beyond the known. They are not punishments but sacred signs that something greater is being born within us. Just as the seed must break apart to allow the sprout to emerge, so too must we allow old patterns, old comforts, and old versions of ourselves to fall away. The discomfort we feel is holy — it is the friction between the life we have known and the limitless life that is calling us forward.
In these moments, trust that the Divine is not breaking you, but remaking you. Every ache is a whisper from Spirit: “You are becoming.”

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Dr. Rita Andriello-Feren, Author, Co-Founding Director Center for Spiritual Living Kaua’i