The Struggles of Birth

It’s Christmas season, so, of course, my thoughts, like many others, often go back to the birth of Jesus.  Mary and Joseph had already endured a long journey to get to this little manger, barn, animal scene.  We tend to romanticize the picture in order to not really think about what was happening.

The reality of it is that God/Jesus was born.  I don’t know about you but I’ve seen pictures and videos and heard multiple explanations of how birth takes place.  I’ve heard it told how the baby must fit through the birth canal and there is a struggle for life.  The more difficult a birth is, the more likely that the little one born will come “out” with a bit of a pointed head as the child has pushed and struggled through to life.

I’ve heard people say that Jesus, Himself, didn’t actually “enter” the baby’s body that was born until after the birth.  I don’t believe that.  I believe He endured every bit of life so that He would be able to truly say that He understood all that we would endure.  Jesus wore diapers, okay there weren’t Pampers then but whatever they used to cover babies…He wore.  I’ll bet He even cried when He was hungry or tired or needed changing.  He grew as a “real” baby grows because He was and is real flesh. (John 1:14)

The other thing I’ve been thinking about related to the birth of Jesus is what is true of all births.  They are a struggle.  They are natural but they are a struggle.  The Momma’s body is going to do what is necessary to push that little one out into the world.  And when the Mom can’t do it, the Dr. is going to help through another kind of struggle.

I think the birth represents the struggles of life.  Struggles are a natural part of life.  Struggles take great strength to endure.  Struggles can be long and difficult or short and not so difficult.  Sometimes the deciding factor is  how we deal with them and how soon we allow God to get invovled.  Can you imagine if the baby didn’t “want” to be born?  That child would never see or know that struggles of life, that’s true, but this babe would never know that joy of the end of the struggle or the happiness that comes from experiencing the many things that bless us in life.  As with the baby, we cannot hide from or ignore the struggle.  We each must endure the struggle in order to appreciate the joy.

God knew how difficult life would be.  We’ve heard it said many times that things are not a surprise to Him.  He is not a God who does not care about our daily struggles.  He endured all kinds of things so that we would know that He understood.  Including the struggle of birth.

Birth may represent the struggles of life but it also represents joy. Most Mommas know that when “they” put that little one into her arms for the first time the pain and the suffering is displaced and the joy at seeing that little one face to face is indescribable.  You look at this newborn and wonder what the future will hold for this child.  You wonder what will come their way and what they will seek and you hope with all of your heart that your child will seek the One who has already done so much.

This Christmas I hope to focus, yes, on those I love and the gifts that will be given to them…yes, on the time I will get to spend with family and friends…yes, maybe even on a few “sappy” Christmas movies.  Mostly though, I want to focus on the reality of the birth of Jesus and how, even from the first moment of His earthly life, He was willing to go through human life for me…for us.  Amazing love.  Amazing grace.  Amazing sacrifice.

“Lord, God, please help me not to lose sight of Your glory and righteousness in what You did on that, what we call, first Christmas night so long ago.  From the beginning, You took on the mess and smeels of mankind, in order for Your love to show clearly.  Thank-You.  May my gift to You this year be to always love You more.”

AARRGGHH!

Okay, so, it’s confession time.  I have spent way too much time in the past 2 weeks being upset, hurt, frustrated, sad, irritated, concerned and not the kind of person who is very fun to be around….ask my husband!

Now, grant it there have been some very big issues that have arisen in life in the past couple of weeks.  Let’s face it, sometimes life is just plain hard.  But, what I was discovering was that the more I let one thing get to me, the more I saw the negative in other things.  The more I saw the negative in things the larger those issues began to loom.  I became “just a bit” overwhelmed by the struggles in the lives of loved ones.  I became disheartened with seeing things in other people’s lives that should have driven me to prayer, not to negative emotions.  I became burdened by the pain and hardship that is pervasive in this world.

And then, God did what God does best.  He sent just the “right” devotion at just the “right” time.  In this devotional, the writer asked a question about whether or not the reader was happy.  And immediately my answer was “NO, I’m not happy”…and then this “gentle voice” reminded me of joy and peace and contentment and rest and love and forgiveness and grace and mercy and the list goes on.

I am not called to be happy.  Yes, I know, many people would disagree with me.  But, in the world’s eyes happiness is so convoluted.  But, in the midst of “all” of these mountains that seemed to be in my way, God reminded me that He is bigger than the mountains.  His love is deeper than the oceans.  His faithfulness goes farther than the heavens.  And, I am called to walk with this God.  My God.  I am called to let go of every hurt, every disappointment, every upset, every frustration, every sadness, every irritation, and every concern.  My God is bigger than all of those. I am called to walk in His strength, His joy, His power, His hope…and the list goes on…

I often say, when you let go of one thing, you have to replace it with something else, or the one thing will return.  Hmmm, sounds kind of like Philippians 4:8 or Colossians 3:1-2.  If I allow my mind and my heart to remain on those issues I will continue the downward spiral that the enemy so wants for me.  But, if I replace those thoughts with the truth of God’s word, then I rise above in His power, which is what HE wants for me.  I don’t know, let’s see…do I want what God wants for me or what the enemy wants for me…shall I say “DUH”???

“Lord, for this day, please help me to keep my heart and mind secured in You and not the struggles I see.  Help me to have a constant, consistent thankful heart to see all of Your blessings no matter what they look like and no matter how they might be disguised.  Help me to remember that You really are working what’s best in my life and in the lives of those I love and in doing that You may just have to send the struggles in order to make us stronger.  Thank-You then for those struggles.  Glory to Your Name.”

photo courtesy of Microsoft Clip Art

Why?

Why?  It’s the question of the ages.  I remember my brother telling of an exam that was taken in a university.  The professor gave the final exam but it only had one question…Why?

Students wrote for long periods of time…some for a couple of hours, some for less but all working diligently to answer  the question of “why”.  The highest grade in the class was given to the student who answered the quickest and left class almost immediately.  His answer…why not? Somehow we think that difficult times, hard stuff, is not and are not suppose to happen to us.  But, why not?

The question of ‘why’ comes to the minds of all people at some time or another.

Why me?

Why do I have to endure such loneliness?

Why did that person reject me?

Why do I have to suffer?

Why is my  marriage in trouble?

Why didn’t my child listen?

Why is life so hard?

Why, why, why????

There is an answer to the why which I’ll get to but most of the time when someone says “why” many people will reply with something like…”you may not ever understand why until we get to heaven” or something along those lines.  And that answeer has some merit.  Until heaven, I may not fully understand why two of my brothers had to die at young ages.  Until heaven, I may not fully understand why so many people I love have moved away or we’ve “busied” ourselves out of having time to be together.  Until heaven, I may not fully understand why I, and many others like me, have had to go through the majority of life suffering with an “invisible” disease (you know, the kind where you look fine on the outside but inside you’re not) or an obviously visible disease.  Until heaven, I may not fully understand how it is that Christians can see things so differently when we’re all suppose to be led by the same Spirit.  Until heaven…

Actually, I think part of the issue with wanting to have “why” answered has to do with the fact that I don’t always listen.  When I ask “why” do I really want God to answer?  I may not like the answer or be comfortable with the answer.  We’re told to trust Him with the “why’s”.  And, I try hard to do just that which is more difficult at some times than at others.  But, sometimes I also think the answer is much easier than thought…just like the exam taker I wrote about earlier.

In His word, God says things like He wants us to conformed into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), and we are to become like the One who created us (Colossians 3:10), and that we are to be transformed into His likeness (II Corinthians 3:18).  Considering what we are like before we are in Christ and where we are now, we have to be remade, renewed, remolded, reshaped.

I used to know a woman who made pottery.  I was always amazed at how she beat up on the clay that she used and then when she had it looking like she wanted, she put it in this incredibly hot kiln.  But, the result of the reshaping, remolding, and putting the item through the heat, etc was a beautiful product.

There’s the “why”.  I can’t go from where I’ve been and where I am to where He wants me to be without going through a bit of or a lot of beating up, pressure, force, heat…all of the things that, if I allow them to, will have a part in conforming me and transforming me into the image of the One who sacrificed all for me.

So, the next time you feel like asking “why”, remember how much God loves you and wants to make you over anew into His own image.  These people that spend tons of money and time having makeovers…He was the original makeover Transformer!!!!

“Lord, today, when those pressures, disappointments, heart hurts, constraints, frustrations come my way, may I remember that it is all for  Your glory and may I listen and hear what You want me to learn through it.  May You be glorified.”