Embracing the Process-Joy

There is a process we all must go through. -A refining. It is a season where things are being shaped in your inner being. You are becoming. It is like a child growing within you. A spiritual pregnancy. The more it grows, the more uncomfortable it gets for the expectant mother. Until one day, the hard labor begins. The birth pains are ridiculously painful. The mother- to -be can't think of anything else but getting this child out of her. She vows to herself that she will never do this again! Then the miraculous happens and this beautiful miracle is born. She is holding this beautiful miracle against her chest and the pain is forgotten.

Joy- Complete joy is all she feels.

Jesus used this analogy of a mother giving birth to his disciples in John 16:17-22

Some of his disciples said to one another, "What does he mean by saying, 'In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.' and. 'Because I am going to the Father?" they kept asking, "What does he mean by "a little while? We don't understand what he is saying."

Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, Are you asking one another what I mean when I said, "In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while, you will see me? I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief but, I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

There will be a time of grief but in a little while....

The joy of what you endured in the process will come!

All during the growth process, Mama must continue doing everything she normally does, taking care of others. Life does not stop because there is a season growth and a miracle is growing inside her. No, quite the opposite, she must prepare for the new life that is coming.

We all know that the baby comes when it decides to come. Mama has little say in the matter. The doctor has little say in the matter. Such is the same for us. New life in your season comes when it is time. It is a season of waiting and preparation.

Praise and thanksgiving and time at the feet of the Father is crucial in this season, or any season really. Especially this one though. It feels like anything else is just a distraction from the beautiful thing that is coming.

I am just picturing in my mind that new little mama, talking to the new life within her, embracing the process she is in. She enjoys a closeness and an intimacy that she will only have for a little while....

This I know, the thing that our villain, our enemy comes after the most is the present. If he can cause us to look at where we are at with fear, we will not enjoy or embrace the process. We will just focus on getting out of the pain we are in. Finding joy is part of the process. Enjoying yourself and your creator in this sweet spot in life is living life to the fullest. There are seasons of real hardship and we all will face battles that threaten to swallow us up. God is in us, growing us and maturing us. He is refining us and he wants us to enjoy life. Just life. Not what is coming, but what is. Right now. Today.

Embracing and enjoying every day is God's gift to us. See that no one or no thing gets in the way of this.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

Can we enjoy the undeveloped part of ourselves? We are meant to.

Can we challenge ourselves to take more time with the Father in the season we are in?

Can we challenge ourselves to find His joy during these times of growth?

Last question, I promise! Can we see where maybe we are being robbed of our joy and take it back?

Everything has an expiration date.