Gabriel, my last baby, was born at home.
My first three babies I had in the hospital with epidurals
and the works.
and the works.I didn't feel much when I was told to push with the first three. With Gabriel it was obviously very different. I began to push, but I couldn't tell if it was working. It was like I didn't know which muscles to use. Finally, I began to push with the right muscles, and I could feel the progress
. It wasn't until I felt the progress
that I could tell what I had previously been doing was constricting, actually preventing progress
.
. It wasn't until I felt the progress that I could tell what I had previously been doing was constricting, actually preventing progress.As I was discussing letting go
of my will in a Bible
study
, I realized it was much like my experience of giving birth.
of my will in a Bible study, I realized it was much like my experience of giving birth.I used to think
that because I was a Christian
, and I didn't do blatantly sinful things, then I had turned my will over to God
. I still very much lived out of my own agenda
and power
. I relied on God
to help me out, adding His power
to my own, instead of surrendering
entirely to His work in me.
that because I was a Christian, and I didn't do blatantly sinful things, then I had turned my will over to God. I still very much lived out of my own agenda and power. I relied on God to help me out, adding His power to my own, instead of surrendering entirely to His work in me.I didn't understand that the muscles of self-effort
I was using to be godly
, were preventing spiritual
progress
. I had to use different spiritual muscles
instead for submission
and release.
I was using to be godly, were preventing spiritual progress. I had to use different spiritual muscles instead for submission and release.
who works in you both to 
and to do for His good 
." (Phil. 2:13)Notice I said, "muscles."
One major difference of natural child birth
was how exhausting it was. I thought the first three were tiring! My labor was shorter with Gabriel, but I felt as though I had run a marathon
. Those muscles were working hard to bring him into the world.
was how exhausting it was. I thought the first three were tiring! My labor was shorter with Gabriel, but I felt as though I had run a marathon. Those muscles were working hard to bring him into the world.That's right, folks, submitting
to and living in God's will
takes spiritual
fitness. Paralleled with any other muscle
, the more you exercise the easier it becomes and the stronger
you get. But, you have to invest some sweat and pain
to the process
.
to and living in God's will takes spiritual fitness. Paralleled with any other muscle, the more you exercise the easier it becomes and the stronger you get. But, you have to invest some sweat and pain to the process.Again, in Philippians
, Paul
encourages them to "work out [their] own salvation
with fear
and trembling," (Phil. 3:12) and claims that he "holds fast the word of life
... that I have not run in vain or labored in vain." (Phil. 3:16) In Philippians
3:12 and 14, he describes "pressing on" towards the goal of spiritual growth
and heaven
.
, Paul encourages them to "work out [their] own salvation with fear and trembling," (Phil. 3:12) and claims that he "holds fast the word of life... that I have not run in vain or labored in vain." (Phil. 3:16) In Philippians 3:12 and 14, he describes "pressing on" towards the goal of spiritual growth and heaven.
in 
does not compare to the compounding 
I receive in my son.The same is true for God's Son
.
.MEDITATE ON IT
Does the effort you exert spiritually
contribute to or prevent progress? What is the fruit?
contribute to or prevent progress? What is the fruit?
physique look like? Are you lean and 
, or flabby and slow?
your spiritual 
?PRAY ABOUT IT
Father, thank You that You don't leave us to ourselves, but provide us with everything we need. Show us which muscles to use to surrender
to Your will, and turn ours over to You. Teach us the spiritual exercises to do to be strong in You. Forgive us when we neglect our spiritual fitness and our relationship with You. Encourage us and focus our eyes on the reward we will receive in the end. Empower us to press on towards the goal. Bless our efforts in You.
to Your will, and turn ours over to You. Teach us the spiritual exercises to do to be strong in You. Forgive us when we neglect our spiritual fitness and our relationship with You. Encourage us and focus our eyes on the reward we will receive in the end. Empower us to press on towards the goal. Bless our efforts in You.LIVE IN IT
"Therefore, by beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Corinthians
15:58)
15:58) "I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ
Jesus
." (Philippians
3:14)
Jesus." (Philippians 3:14)"The labor of the righteous leads to life." (Proverbs
10:16)
10:16)