Pregnancy is NOT an Ailment & Childbirth is NOT a Curse

Truth: Our attitude towards having children is most often influenced by how we view pregnancy and childbirth
Truth: Our past experiences, culture, family, friends, community, church, health care providers and more, have all impacted our perspectives on pregnancy, childbirth and children
Truth: Our culture often measures sacrifices and weighs benefits before choosing to have a baby
Truth: God gave us a blessing when he gave us the privilege of partnering with Him in Bringing Forth Life. It is a gift.
Truth: Our children ARE an eternal inheritance {Psalm 127}- “the fruit of the womb a reward”

My Belief/Opinion/Conviction: A self focused thinking has infiltrated the church at large and we need to repent and change our perspectives and vocabulary. We need to leave a new legacy in the church today.

The serpent has deceived us again.

In the garden, in Genesis 3, God cursed the snake {serpent/satan} and the ground. Then He disciplined His children who had sinned against him. God did not curse Adam and Eve. He punished them. But He did not “curse” them.

The gift of childbearing was given to Adam and Eve and all mankind in Genesis 1:28-31, before the Fall. “And the Lord Bless them.” v.28

How sneaky of the enemy who has been cursed to bruise the heel of the woman’s offspring forevermore, to convince her daughters to emotionally take responsibility for a curse that was meant for him.

Well, daughters of Eve, Sisters of the High King, it is time for us to “bruise the serpent head” and not live under a burden that is not meant for us to carry.

Why does the enemy want to deceive us? We need to recognize that we are in a spiritual battle… and that the enemy does not want Christians willing to set aside their desires and intentionally raising children to follow and serve Christ. We are literally birthing the Kingdom of God. And satan tempts us both with our love for self and with our lack of confidence in God’s ability to His good works through us.

Nehemiah 13:2 “However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.”

**This verse is not talking about the curse during the fall, it isn’t in relation to this in any way other than this: That is WHO our God is, and WHAT He has done, and WHAT HE CAN DO. He has that ability. Pretty awesome to meditate on.

In the video we will cover these texts of scripture as well as others. So maybe you want to get them ready to follow along:

We Can Choose Our Perspective~And It Makes All the Difference

“A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, But by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” Prov. 15:13, ESV

We Need to Be Careful How We Impact and Influence others perspectives & Be Wise Who We Allow to Influence Us!
“A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, But perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” Prov. 15:4, ESV

Why is perspective so essential?
Our perspective holds the door open for introduces fear and anxiety or confidence and faith; and faith produces peace.

 Passion: Run with Passion, Purpose and Perspective

***These three ideas are paraphrased from the John Maxwell Leadership Bible, NKJV which I feel so directly align with  the race of pregnancy and childbirth as well as motherhood, just as they apply to anything in life.

Hebrews Ch. 12

1. “Consider them” {the great cloud of witnesses that have gone before us} Verse 1.
Isn’t it empowering to think of, to remember all the thousands of women who have gone before you to give birth?

2. “Consider Ourselves” {it’s now our turn to run the race and finish well – like those in Heb. 11}
Take seriously our training. We need to train for the race the Lord sets before us. {And guess what ladies, we aren’t on the same track! WooHoo. So no competition! When we surrender our life to Him, and are walking in His perfect will for our lives, we are not going to be in the same race. So, train for the race. How? Spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. We need to be sharp so we don’t get trapped by the enemy, or by our own sinful nature… Lord save us from ourselves sometimes. Right!

3. “Consider Jesus {v.2,3} He ran his own race and endured hardship by fixing his eyes on the rewards; we must follow his example.” The inspired word of God has many scriptures that teach us and give us examples of how to handle this race of life, including how we should handle pain, circumstances that we don’t plan on, trials, and even success {we are to rejoice together and weep together}.

In the video I go through a lot of Heb 12, but I want to highlight verse 11-12.
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefor lift your dropping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.” ESV

Those who refer to childbirth as the curse, or pain in childbirth as the curse… say it as though something horrible were being done to them. Our perspective on childbirth should be that it is a blessing and a milestone in our life, the life of our family, and our child’s life.

Childbirth can either be a traumatic experience or it can be a gentle one, and it largely depends on our countenance. I am not referring to the circumstances surrounding the actually birth. Sometimes those are out of our hands. I am talking about your anxiety level through which walk through whatever experience you have. Sometimes disease or complications arise, and sometimes those are totally out of our control; but in those times we can still hang on to the hope we have in Christ Jesus. But in all circumstances, we can impact whether the transition is gentle based upon were our focus is and what our perspective is.

And in cases where there are no complications, our perspective and focus is equally important. One’s perspective can actually impact the childbirth experience that would otherwise progress at a normal pace, to be one that is even more painful and potentially cause complications. We need to meditate on the blessing to come and the blessing in our midst as we are birthing our babies.

Whether you experience a little pain, a lot of pain, or no pain… there is joy to be found and experienced in childbirth. A joy that is simply beyond my ability to explain. Some describe it as an adrenaline rush or spiritual high… but I describe it as the joy of childbirth.

May I encourage you, to anticipate that. Every woman who gives birth, exclaims it was an incredible day, an experience unlike any other… regardless of the circumstances.

And even in those times of hardships and trials. When a mother’s worst nightmare occurs; even then, God is still to be praised. Even then there can be joy in the sorrow.

PLEASE READ ALL OF ROMANS CHAPTER 12

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God…

For I say…not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we being many are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.”

We impact each other greatly because we are members of the same body. So we need to work as a team. The eye shouldn’t try to be the nose because its jealous it can smell and the feet shouldn’t be envious of the tongues ability to speak… or vice versa. Oh I just love the next part… but I must stay focused. 🙂

…”Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality…Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN OPINION.”

As I am about to share this video with you, I encourage us all to remember these words we just read in Romans. DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN OPINION. And let us not argue on things that are not a matter of salvation. I will be sharing two different perspectives on Childbirth and Pain… and my goal is to encourage you to think and be challenged. I do share what I believe and why, but I believe this is not a salvation issue.  Remember the main video on Pain is still coming. This is on Childbirth being a blessing, not a curse.

But Remember, that what matters most now is that we live in the reality of today.

Just as thistles and thorns still grow in the ground, women do still experience pain in childbearing. BUT in that pain you can experience JOY, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Gentleness, Self-Control… all the fruit of the Spirit. This truly can be an amazing spiritual milestone in your life!

Two Different Perspectives/Convictions on Pain & Childbirth

The Punishment Eve received from the Lord at the Fall was:
1.)  Pain/Sorrow in Childbearing …

Focusing on Pain not being in existence until after the fall; therefor pain in childbirth is God’s punishment.{Which I thought I believed until I began studying the God’s design of our bodies; however, God to do anything and really… he could have simply added beta endorphins at the same time as multiplying pain. Technically… He could have done either.}

2.) Multiplied (or increased) Pain/Sorrow …

Emphasis on the word “increased,” implying that there was pain in the childbearing process but it was amplified after the fall. I tend to lean more towards this because of God’s unique design of our bodies which happened before the fall. He designed our bodies with the ability to cope with pain. And for a woman in childbirth, the pain is what triggers those beta endorphins.

Just because Eve didn’t experience pain in childbirth before the fall doesn’t mean indefinetly that there wouldn’t have been some pain. When you look closely at scriptures on pain, the Lord impresses upon us good fruit to come from it. I am NOT trying to glorify pain, but to challenge our thinking. It is very counter-culture today to be willing to go through pain, yet isn’t that what God calls us to when He bids us to come and follow Him? To die unto ourselves and our desires and turn towards Him, desiring things of righteousness.

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

The important thing to realize in all of this is that God did not curse us. Childbirth is a blessing, it is a gift to partner with God in bringing forth life, and He has created our bodies with amazing responses and abilities far beyond what we even understand in medicine today. God is good!

So Sisters,
Embrace each moment. Every kick. Every opportunity you have to disciple your babe towards knowing their heavenly Father. Teach your babe who has a soul, how to worship, how to pray, and how to love others. It is never to early to start.

And in those moments when you are sick with morning sickness or your pelvis and back ache… thank God for this gift of life growing in you and for the honor of being chosen to raise this child for His glory. Remember your sisters who cannot have children, pray for them and choose to have a grateful heart. Ask others to pray for you. It will be VERY difficult, especially in a culture that has an entitlement attitude, to keep a positive perspective… so choose wisely who you spend time with in this vulnerable season in your life. If you need encouragement, seek out those who can give it. And be aware that RIGHT NOW you have an incredible opportunity to shine Jesus light to others in a special way that only lasts those few short months in your life while you are pregnant. When you share your great expectancy for another child… others hearts may be startled and some may even seek to change. GLOW BRIGHTLY! You can do this!

In this season of pregnancy, the enemy will try to discourage you. Be alert. Surround yourself with mentors who are just a season ahead or more who can pray for you, encourage you, and speak truth into your life when the world drags you down.

May I edify you today.

You have been created to do this

You shine a light in this dark world, a promise that God believes life should go on!

You are radiant

You are chosen

You are amazing

You are an inspiration

You are blessed

You have been given a gift, don’t snurk at it, don’t hide it, and don’t listen to the lies whispered to you in your most vulnerable moments. You have been given the most amazing opportunity that exists in life today… to partner with God in bringing forth life.

Blessing and Admonition from 1 Thessalonians 5:23-28

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. Brethren [sisters], pray for us. Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle by read to all the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”

Your Sister in Grace,

Angie Tolpin

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Angie is the author of Redeeming Childbirth, the book and guide. Which you can purchase here! She writes on her other website Leaving a Legacy on Marriage, Family, and Faith. For a more complete bio go here.