Pain in Childbearing

 Everyday the little kicks and bumps inside my womb increase in amount and intensity, reminding me of the crazy reality that I really am a Mother! Wow! I'm a mother and there is a tiny person breathing inside me! The reality never ceases to amaze me.

But as we all know, especially those moms out there, childbearing is not easy! Before Brodie and I got married, Brodie suggested that we talk about child bearing and do a study on what the Bible has to say about the topic. So I went to the concordance in my Bible, searched for the word children and began my study. The first verse I came across was Genesis 3:16a: "To the woman He said, I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing: in pain you shall bring forth children..."  Great!! How encouraging!.... NOT!

As I thought more about this I realized that it is not just the birthing process that causes much pain, but it is everything surrounding bearing children that causes pain for a woman too. It all began as teenager when our bodies in an effort to reproduce, caused our first period and continue experiencing those awful menstrual pains monthly. Our bodies go through some pains when we lose our virginity and begin having sex. In the beginning of pregnancy there is pain as we suffer through morning sickness and fatigue. Then in the rest of pregnancy, there are the back pains, swelling feet, heart burn, leg cramps, and so much other stuff to go through! There is the pain of losing children in miscarriage or stillbirth. There is pain for women as their children grow older and begin disobeying the mother that cares so much for them. There is pain as the child grows into an adult and the mother has to let go. There is a lot of pain surrounding the bearing and rearing of children!

BUT! There is a big BUT! Some Hope! The Bible also says, the woman will be "saved through childbearing-if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control." 1 Timothy 2:15

I'm no Bible Scholar, but I think they are talking about being "saved" in a couple different ways. First, there is the literal Salvation of our souls. It was through a woman that Jesus came into this world, and it was through Jesus that the world can be saved. So women can be saved through childbearing because of the birth of Jesus! But also, after the Salvation of their souls, through childbearing they are saved from living a life that does not honor God. Women are able to be like God when they bear children. God created us in his image and desires us to reflect who He is to the world. God is the ultimate life-maker and life-giver. As women we get to have life created in our very own wombs and give birth and life to a child, much like God breathes life into all of creation! The dependency infants have toward their mothers is much like the dependency we all have for God to care for us. The deep and unchanging love and mother has toward her children reflects the depths of the love of God. And just as we mothers will experience pain in childbearing and rearing, God too experiences pain when dealing with His children. When our children disobey us, defy us, disrespect us, and break our hearts, we get a small glimpse into the heart of God and the pain He must experience when His children do the same things.Childbearing helps us to understand God and even to become more like God!

Yes, there is pain in childbearing, as I will soon find out for myself, but we as women have the hope that we are saved through childbearing!



 ((Side Note: For women without children, I think you can still experience the joy of children in having Spiritual offspring to care for and can experience many of the things that mothers of physical children experience! God still has beautiful plans for you.))