No Pain No Gain

My pain isn’t your pain…but one thing is for sure…in this life…there WILL BE PAIN! As I’m traveling along this journey, I’ve had many ups and downs…and the funny thing is I remember the people who are there for the ups! I can always count on someone when things are going great! Right after I’ve experienced a great big victory…that’s when the crowd is applauding and I feel as if I’m on top of the world. But the question is…how many will be there…when I’m in travail? That’s a very lonely place to be. I experienced something that I’ve never experienced before – the birth of a child (visually). And I can’t help but reflect and remember when the announcement rang forth months ago that a child was going to be born. I remember the excitement that I felt in my spirit because of new life…it was symbolic of God’s favor and rich blessings. I also remember thinking about the process to be birthed and how it was done in secret. You see, you don’t need a lot of people around to get pregnant; it’s usually done in hiding, however, you can see along the process the baby growing because the stomach enlarges. I’m remember seeing the mother progress at the end of the first trimester and begin to complain that she had to go and purchase new clothing because what she had worn up until then had become to small to carry what God had placed inside of her. I go on and remember even how she began to waddle, as she would walk because of the weight of the baby although she was elated at being pregnant, her body was now going through changes in preparation to give birth to this promised child.

As much as she would explain what she was going through on the inside…the experience was hers and hers alone to bear. I couldn’t take the pain away…not even her husband could understand what she was going through, but we still looked forward to the day of the birth! I can’t help but remember the times being on the phone and hearing her mention how the “thing” inside of her was moving this way or moving that way…and how uncomfortable it was having something move on the inside…I kept hearing her speak of the physical…but I took it a step further and thought about what God had placed inside of me and how the analogy was so close because of the fits of rage I was experiencing having to carry something that God had ordained for me to birth into the world.

When the child was born, I remember walking into the hospital room expecting the baby to have already been born, instead, I wasn’t prepared for what happened next! I walked into something that I won’t forget for the rest of my life. I walked into a room that was in HIGH ALERT! The baby wasn’t born yet…so everyone was waiting around in expectation because they knew that the birth was AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT! I asked myself, “Why in the hell was I there if the baby wasn’t born yet?” And God, as always, had a response. He told me that I needed to hear the mother travail and bring forth the child for myself. If you’ve never experienced it, believe me, you need too because your life will never be the same! As much as we were coaching her along…we couldn’t experience the opening up of her body to make way for the promise to come forth! All I could hear were her undying screams for help! All I could think about was…”what could I do to ease the pain?” I thought to myself, that there had to be something that I could do because the pain seemed so severe…but the Lord began to show me…that it costs to carry a promise! And as much as we, her friends and family cheered her on when the announcement came that she was pregnant. We couldn’t step in and take away the pain! Something else I discovered as I asked the other women who were in the room with me, everybody’s experiences are different!

I said all that to say this…whatever happens…whatever happens…and I do mean whatever…I have to know that I’m anointed for the occasion. Because as much as she cried for help, as much as she wanted to give up and throw in the towel, as I left the hospital room I noticed a glow about her as she held her child in her arms! Didn’t say she wasn’t tired or that she wasn’t weary, but she had a joy that came AFTER much pain. However, it didn’t seem to matter to her anymore because she was holding her promise from God!

In this season of transition…I know it may be painful and you may want to give up, I know I did, just yesterday…but don't forget that the promise is on the other side of the pain! So make this declaration with me...Whatever Happens to me, I’m anointed for the occasion!