Isaiah 43:19, New International Version

"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland"

We heard all the sayings “It is darkest before the dawn.” and “Your breakthrough is just around the corner.” “Someday you will look back at this and laugh.” But if you are in the middle of the deep pangs of birth, the intended encouragement is hard to receive when you are struggling through the pain. You don't feel or see it. You feel like something good is on the way—a long-held dream, an answer to prayer, a hoped-for moment—but it’s hard to see that far into the future.

When you are ready to give birth to a baby, you know something wonderful will be in your arms soon, but you don’t know exactly what this child will look like. Will she have your nose? Her daddy’s eyes? Black hair or blonde? You may go through intense labor, but you know that eventually you will get your long-awaited blessing of holding your child in your arms.

It’s the same way when God is birthing something spiritual in our lives. We may be unsure of the exact details, but we know there's something. While we are going through labor and delivery, the future is fuzzy. We endure the pain of hoping, praying, and believing that something amazing will be born in our life. We hold the form of it in our heart and mind, but until it is out there for you to see, we can only guess as to what shape the blessing will take.

We feel like giving up, but you must endure the labor pains to get to the blessing. Peter 5:10 (ESV) says “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” This verse has been the biggest reminder that God is going to do something with the pain. 

If you feel like God is birthing something through your life, set aside a quiet time to listen for His voice. Spending time with Him and believing His promises will help you endure your labor pains of life.

Isaiah 42:9 (NIV) says, "New things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” We can be encouraged that the Lord has promised new things to be born in our lives.

Listen closely and pray for the future God is showing you. The “new thing” may be off in the distance, but your prayers can bring it close.

So, let’s remind ourselves of the end process that leads to the birth of a child; the contractions are a warning to the mother that birth is coming near, then the water breaks and lastly the long-awaited-for child is delivered. All the pains experienced by the mother are soon forgotten once the baby is born, just as Jesus describes when talking about sorrow turning to joy. Here is what He said, “It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world’ (John 16:21, NLT).

Endure the labor pains and get ready for the new season that will be born in your life!