Giving Birth

Me with my youngest granddaughter.

I've given birth three times and not one of these births were the same.  My first birth experiences was in 1978 and at that time the hospital policy was to strap down the mother's hands during the birth.  Barbaric! 

My second was in 1980 and  things had improved.  Now you labored and gave birth in the same room with unrestrained hands.    

Then came baby #3 in 1986.   The doors were fling wide open.  "Come one, come all."  And this included video cameras.   (Just for the record, the non-medical staff consisted of my husband and one of my sisters and the camera came out after the birth.)  Just say'n.

Each one of my birth experiences lasted a different amounts of time, varying from two amazingly short hours, to twenty-four long agonizing hours.  Still, to the best of my fading memory, one thing was the same with each one of my birth experiences--there was pain followed by joy.

The very words Giving Birth paints the picture of pain regardless if the person has experienced giving birth or not.  

John 16:21 says it like this, "Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world."

Metaphorically speaking, some of us have been Giving Birth for a very long time.  We may be experiencing the lingering pains of failure, harsh judgments, grief, self pity, sickness, emotional cruelty, financial setbacks even the pains of miscommunication.  

At this very moment, your pain may be so great that you feel as if you are in the throes of Giving Birth. 

Just like in the actual process of Giving Birth, we never know exactly how long it's going to last, but here's a piece of great news from  Roman 8:18 (NIV), 

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing 

with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Whatever you are going through right now, don't give up.  Don't give in.  Cling tightly to your birth coach--Jesus.  God is going to reveal in you and through you, His glory.

Breath in.  Breath out. Repeat!  J