Pregnancy has a way of taking the focus off of me and putting it onto someone else, the miraculous person that God is allowing me to create with Him. Why do we allow our lives to get so focused on ourselves that we forget the big picture? In short, it is because of our selfish, sin filled nature.
In Ephesians we read that we do not battle against things of this world but against the powers and principalities of darkness. If this is the case, why do we not think that there is a battle for our thoughts and our desires? Should we not realize that the Evil One is after all of us? If he can cripple us to the point of not being able to function, of being so trapped in ourselves that we cannot survive without the approval of others, than he has succeed and we are nothing.
Okay, I know what you are thinking, what on earth does this have to do with being pregnant? Here’s the thing, when a woman is pregnant she is overtaken by someone else. My actions are not based on what is good for me and me alone, but now I worry about what is beneficial to the baby as well. I desire and want to do different things. For example, I LOVE garlic in any food. BUT, being pregnant right now, my body rejects anything that has to do with garlic. I also LOVE sweet tea. Being Southern this is my nectar from heaven. Guess what I have not been able to drink!? As a matter of fact, I can only have one glass of decaffeinated tea a day! The rest of my day is spent drinking at least 1 ½ gallons of water! This is not who I usually am. I am changed because of the overflowing life that is within me.
The same is true when I am filled with the overflowing power of Jesus Christ. I am taken over by someone else. It is not what I want that matters any more. Just like while I am pregnant my tastes change, having Christ in my life changes me. I see things differently. No longer do I want to do everything that the world thinks that I should do. I want to live more for what Christ desires.
Are there days when I want what I want? Of course, BUT on these days I need to spend time on my knees focusing on Christ instead of me. Not always easy when the world around me bombards me with images of what I am supposed to be. If my house is not spotless, if I am not driving a brand new car, if I am not raising 2.5 children, than I am a failure. BUT, this is not what Christ says. Christ says that I am to take up my cross and follow Him. I am to not worry about how my home looks but open it up to showcase the love of Christ to others. I am to not worry about what kind of car I drive, but how am I using the car is what matters. I am not to limit myself to what is “normal” when it comes to my family; I am to allow Christ to choose how many miracles He wants me to have. I am to die to myself and my wants and desires (like how I desire a great big glass of sweet tea), and live daily for Christ. He is to overflow my life. He is to be the only one that I worry about.
This is how pregnancy and Christ are similar. They change a person, from the inside out. Just as my belly grows with the image of a new life; my heart, mind, and actions need to grow showcasing the love and actions of Christ. It is within the confines of this outgrowth of Christ that I can grow lovelier. I am a Daughter of the King. It is time I reflect that daily. It is time that I showcase my pregnancy belly proudly. It is time I showcase my Christ even more proudly!
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