Last updated on August 26, 2020
Question:
Hey.
I am 17 years of age and male. I am 5 ft 4 in tall. I feel very depressed about my height. I went to get a check-up and the doctor said my bones are nearly completely fused. I was wondering if I could do anything: take any supplements or even stretching exercises that will work. I pray that I will become 2 or 3 inches taller. I don’t want the procedure where they cut your leg and make you grow taller. Please help me out.
Thank you very much and may God bless you.
Answer:
There is nothing wrong with your height, except in your own mind. You’ve reached the end of your growth. You might add another fraction of a inch, but that will be the extent of it. There is no way to reverse this. If stretching or medicine of some sort could increase a person’s height, you would see all people being tall. Instead, the average height of an adult male is 5′ 9″. Since there are people above that average, there are also people below that average to balance each other out.
“Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?” (Matthew 6:27). You can’t change your size. You are as God made you. The leg-breaking procedure is only used when someone grows up with bowed legs. The bones are cracked and straightened, which does result in a few inches of gained height. But if your legs are already straight, it does nothing for you.
A hard lesson for many people to learn is how to be content. Almost every young person I meet tells me that they would be happy, if it wasn’t for … and then some aspect of their life is named — usually an aspect that they have no control over. If I had fewer freckles, if I had straight hair, if I had curly hair, if I was darker, if I was lighter, etc. The result is that they choose to be miserable. The real pathway to happiness is to find contentment in the way things are. “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content” (Philippians 4:11). If you read on, you will find that Paul learned to be content in both good times and bad times. Contentment is a choice to find happiness regardless of circumstances. If you are not happy with yourself now, being two inches taller isn’t going to make you any happier.
Look at yourself honestly and appreciate the things that you do have. It isn’t your height that is going to gain you success, a happy marriage, or wonderful children. It is the type of person you choose to be — and that is something you have full control over.