Birthing a baby... it’s a process.
Usually it’s around a nine month process for humans, give or take a few days or weeks. The last month especially, we are sooo ready to get our babies out into the world. We are heavy with our burden. We ache. We are stretched beyond what we thought possible... in our skin and our endurance.
Don’t hate me when I tell you that I had all four of my boys at home, without pain. (yes, it was uncomfortable, but not painful.) I had them at home on purpose. Each home birth was prefaced by months of fervent praying and speaking God’s promises out loud. Each of my boy’s births were very blessed, though some had a few challenges, all went well and all my children were born with joy and are healthy!
So, back to being stretched. Stretched beyond what we can imagine. (Some women, unfortunately end up with a souvenir of sorts from this season of their skin stretching; they are called stretch marks.) As we carry our unborn children we are often challenged in many ways. We experience morning sickness, back aches, tiredness and working through how all these things affect our husbands too!
When the day finally arrives for our babies to leave the womb world and join this world, the real birthing, or labor process begins. Experiences during labor vary greatly from my easy home births to days of painful labor that are excruciatingly difficult and seem to never end. Some women go through days of labor that push their physical and emotional limits. The most emotional and challenging time is usually during what is called transition. Transition is the most intense part of labor and usually painful and emotional. The contractions that are a part of the preparation that helps the baby emerge, are stronger and closer together during transition. It can be extremely difficult to manage all the emotions and the pain that some mothers experience during this time.
As I experience this time of challenge and intense difficulty in my life, I believe that Jesus has been gently reminding me that what I, and many others I know, are going through, is like the birthing process, especially transition. We are being stretched beyond what we could ever imagine. Some may end up with spiritual “stretch marks” they will have forever.
When a woman is laboring to bring forth her child, almost always, she needs encouragement and coaching to keep going, when she’s pushed to her limits. A husband’s touch, prayers and love carry a woman through labor and delivery, if she embraces her husband’s presence. The same need for encouragement applies to those of us going through our own spiritual birthing process. Jesus is our husband and coach in all we have to work through, if we allow Him and embrace His presence.
There comes a joyous time in the birthing process when the woman is finally able to push! The length of time she pushes, depends on whether it’s her first child or 5th, of course. Soon her baby’s head begins to emerge. It’s a sign that the end of the process is near and the baby is about to be born! She wants to push even more now that the end is near! Yet the pushing needs to be controlled so she doesn’t cause herself more pain. This reminds me so much of how we need to ask for grace to be self controlled as we go through our own spiritual birthing process, especially as we near the end and the victory is about to be celebrated.
So, a mom pushes and presses, through blood, sweat and tears, and finally her baby is born!
A mom feels such a wide range of emotions after her baby is born: euphoria, awe, pride, disbelief, excitement (to name but a few), and, of course, intense relief that it's all over. Exhausted as a new mom may be, she also probably feels a burst of energy, and joy.
When we emerge on the other side of an intense spiritual labor and birthing process, we will experience similar emotions. I believe, especially we will be in awe of our Father God for helping us make it through the process and we will feel intense relief that it’s all over.
Recently, I’ve been stretched and exhausted from the birthing process I’ve been experiencing. For a while this afternoon, I forgot my own struggles. I listened to a friend of mine share with me his own birthing process; it's more difficult and exhausting than my own. I sensed he is in "transition" and he is nearing the end of the process, but he is weary and is close to giving up. May Jesus be his coach and loving, encouraging “husband” who will help him push through to the end... to the moments he can celebrate, in awe of what was born through the birthing process, because of God’s grace.
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14
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