Things are going well. You got some sleep, had a moment to shower and are about to start the day. Then it begins…..pressures piling up, minute by minute, moment by moment.
The kids are yelling and whining- each about something different, the baby is crying upstairs for milk, your husband is in bed sick, quick–take a deep breath before you lose it!.. Oh, another poop incident? we need to change your clothes, again… hey, I just wiped the table, why is there milk everywhere? For the 5th time, Go Pee… stop screaming, don’t push your sister, where are my keys…we’re already so late… Honey?! A little help! Oh, he’s sick…. that’s it, I’m about to Blow…
One more thing and I finally cave, yelling fury at whichever child crosses my path. Sigh. I blew it again.
Am I the only one??
Maybe you don’t have family pressures, maybe instead you struggle with sickness, or maybe you’re everyone’s go-to at the job, maybe your partner keeps blasting your buttons, or maybe nothing seems to be going your way. Maybe all of the above.
The stress might be easier to handle if it hit full force, all at once, but instead it’s like grains of rice piling up on a scale. Sometimes over a few minutes, sometimes over a few years…
If you’ve ever been in labor you know there are (usually) rest periods before a new contraction starts. But pain increases and rest decreases as you approach the birth of the child. Lately I’m equating difficulties in life with contractions. That is, pressures build, “pain” comes, but eventually it will pass.
Contractions are pain with a purpose and maybe our struggles are the same. We may see no immediate change or improvement, but maybe we can handle more pressure today than we could last week/month/year. Just an ounce more patience can mean you and your family have a better day (or hour). By God’s grace, tolerance, resilience and even love are increasing under the surface of your tensed face.
But hey, no one’s perfect. Did you blow it again? It’s ok. Get up and try again. Be encouraged to keep going and don’t lose sight of the important things (as my mom says: are all your kids ok? Then it’s a good day…).
Don’t forget: At the end of labor mayhem comes the joy of the new birth! Hang in there!
Need more encouragement? Check my post “The Lost Sheep, a Diamond in Progress.“
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.. (Paul of Tsarsus writing in the book Romans 8:18, bible)
You hit the nail on the head, sister! Visiting from #raralinkup #106
Jasmine,
Great analogy using labor, contractions and then the birth and Paul’s words in Romans..such encouragement…what is hard won’t last forever…and God has a plan to reveal more glory to us…such a packed and big concept: Glory to be revealed….
Love this message!
Def needed to hear during this season in my life.
Nice job!
Thanks so much for the encouragement, and Keep hanging in there!
Oh WOW Yes! I’ve not experienced labor but I can totally understand what you mean! “Contractions are pain with a purpose and maybe our struggles are the same.” It made me think of John 16:21 “When a woman is in labor she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world.”
Thanks so much for sharing this. I think it is No Coincidence that Jesus said this shortly before He went to the cross. Ask any woman-or me-how labor felt. I will tell you, with all the pain increasing I didn’t want to be in my body anymore, and in the end, when I could take it no more and thought I was going to die– my first child was born. There is lots of labor symbolism in the Bible…including creation itself groaning with labor pains waiting for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God (romans 8:19-22). I think women will find out that God is demonstrating more mighty things of the Spirit through them than anyone could imagine. Future post I hope! Love to you from Holland
I love this! And it’s so true that so many of our struggles DO have purpose – and when we keep progressing through the pain, we get there and are so rewarded! Thanks for sharing your heart and thoughts with us!
Thanks so much for your comment and reflection! I like this “progressing through the pain”..-makes me think about “…Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on…” (in the letter of Paul to the Saints in Philipi). And the rewards, I believe, will be for Everyone in some way. Hooray!
Nice way to approach it all, like a contraction yes. It’s like these wise words: “this too shall pass”….
Thanks for sharing and the encouragement! And where did you have “this too shall pass” from?
Thanks!