Growth

It's an interesting thing, growth. I would say that most people want to grow. But I would say that many people probably dont grow as much as they could. I think part of the problem is that there is often a hard part in growing that people often want to avoid.
The way muscles grow is that when you do solid exercise, you actually break down the muscle fibres which then grow back larger and stronger than before. It can be uncomfortable, those few days after a solid gym session, but after the pain, the results are worth it. You are stronger than before.
I think that growing as a person is similar. An integral part of our growth is the breaking down part. It might be changing your opinion on something, it might be a stern rebuke by a friend or even just a subconsious change. Either way, there is some kind of breaking down of perceptions, or attitude or actions. Sometimes you dont even notice it and other times it is so horrible that you dont think you can stand up under the pain.
I guess this is where often people do not want to grow. They see that they might need to accept they were wrong about something, or whatever and choose not to do so. Many people would take this as admitting that your actions were flawed before. People do not want to admit that something they have done was flawed. Instead of growing, they remain where they are.
Often it isnt that straight forward, you might put your foot in it or whatever and hurt someone. Accepting that you have done them wrong and apologising is part of that breaking down. You have realised you have hurt someone and in the future will be more careful. Those future actions are the growth that has occurred.
There is also the other side of the coin in which you kind of have hardship or whatever thrust upon you. It is no fault of your own but I believe that people can still certianly grow through that. For example, when I was growing up, my parents got divorced. Certainly no fault of my own. I could have used that as an excuse to run amok and refused to grow from it, or I could choose to grow as much as I could.
I think the decision to grow or not is often a consious one.
Hebrews 12:7 "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
I guess my point in all this is that even though things might not go the way we want some of the time, people may hurt us or whatever, we know that God is using it to make us into the people he wants us to be. When you face pain or hardship how do you respond? Do you shake a fist at God and say how dare you? Or do you use it as an opportunity to grow?

I may have not been thorough enough or generalised too much but there are some thoughts on the matter. Feel free to comment.