Unto Life
by Maxie Kamalski
Giving birth is a messy process. Recently, I was sitting with a friend who had given birth about six weeks ago and we were sharing our birthing experiences with each other. We both agreed that giving birth is not a very fun process, to put it very mildly. It’s an experience you cannot fully understand unless you have gone through it yourself. Trying to find words to describe the pain is nearly impossible, but the best word to use would be suffering. Giving birth is a form of suffering.
The beauty of birth though, is that once the birthing process is complete, there is this tiny little human life now in your arms. Through the suffering comes life.
Thinking about our spiritual journey, the birthing process is a beautiful metaphor of the fact that when we are in Christ, our suffering is always unto life. I cannot help but think of Romans 8 that always gives me comfort in seasons of suffering.
Not only are we told that in verse 28 that “We know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We are also told from verse 31 that “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?….No, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The Father loves us deeply, and so when we are in Christ, suffering is always unto life, whether it is on earth or in heaven. May you be reminded as you walk through suffering that you are loved and that when you are in Christ, the suffering you are enduring will always lead to life.