Fortitude: Courage in pain or adversity
Just now as I was sitting and waiting to hear God speak this devotional over me, I heard this word “fortitude”. I looked up the definition and typed it above. Then I remembered a pivotal moment in my life.
When I was in hard labor with Micah, I had been laboring for many hours already and was in a birthing pool trying to move things along. Suddenly, without any warning, I felt flung to my hands and knees. I can only say, I’m positive that God put me in that position. I was in so much pain that I immediately began to try to move into another position, but my midwife instructed me to stay on my hands and knees. She said, “That’s good, don’t move”. So, I relented. It was incredibly painful, but immediately after that, Micah’s body began to rapidly move through the birth canal, and he made his triumphant entry into this world.
This memory reminds me that this is the phase of birthing our blessing that we are in. We are in hard labor, and the “baby” is about to be born. We all feel it. We all have felt an increase in the tension of waiting. We can and will see this through. There have been moments lately, that this tension has felt so intense that I have felt actual physical discomfort. It’s getting real, friends. But this just reminds me that we are nearing the end. There’s going to be an end. We will have a birth!!
Staying in the middle of intense discomfort is something you do on purpose. It can feel so wrong or unnatural, but you sometimes need to just push through the pain.
Pain and discomfort is NOT always an indicator of wrong, birth is uncomfortable. Birth is also the most natural thing on earth. We were created to give birth, not just physically, but spiritually.
Prayer Moment: God, thank You for always being in the business of birthing new things. I stand willingly before You now, surrendered to this process. Your loving hand has guided our every step and we will not turn away or sit down in protest now. No, we will follow You where and how You lead. No matter what others say or think, You are the Wise One we seek. You are faithful. You are the only One worthy of all our attention. I will not give up. In Jesus Name, Amen.
All my longings lie open before You, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from You. Psalm 36:9
O Lord, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my Savior. Psalm 36:21-22
I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things You planned for us no one can recount to You; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare. Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but my ears You have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings You did not require. Then I said, “Here I am, I have come- it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart. I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as You know, O Lord. I do not hide Your righteousness in my heart; I speak of Your faithfulness and salvation. Psalm 40:1-10
365 Days in the Presence 