During the hardest point in labor, I saw my old doctor in my mind. And when I say old, I don’t mean he was an old man. He was the man who helped me as I was pregnant with my first three children. He was the one that I trusted and the only one I knew during those most precious times in life…carrying a child from nine months until delivery. But with my fourth baby and desire for an unmedicated VBAC, he was not able to support me. I loved him and had respect for him. But he told me early in pregnancy not to do what I was doing, that it would’t be good for me to go into labor after having three c-sections…it was dangerous and not likely that I could do it.
As I started to go through transition with my VBAC attempt, I saw him in his chair telling me no. I saw our conversation, even though I was deep into labor and felt like I was back at my check up at the beginning of my pregnancy. And thinking on that, I started to feel sick as I managed through my contractions. As my mind went everywhere, tempting me to think on every thought that came before me, I had to consciously redirect my thoughts. I told myself NO I will NOT think on this. I could’t stay there in my mind. I started to feel nauseous and with that I began to over ride my thought with a truth.
“I am strong,” I said out loud.
“I AM strong.”
“I am STRONG.”
I began to remember these words:
“Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5
Since that day of realizing the impact of our thoughts, I have come to see that it doesn’t matter where we are in life…we will have thoughts in our minds that don’t line up with God.
“I cannot do this. It’s too hard.”
Oh, it feels this way, right? These words feel oh so true. But what has GOD said through His word?
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13
Replace the word or thought, with truth.
“I always seem to fail. Things just don’t work out for me.” Ok, maybe that has been your truth in the past. But things can change. There’s always hope! Because God says:
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8:37
A conqueror. Did you hear that? Did you read that? The conqueror doesn’t lose. He wins. And it says we are more than that.
“It will always be this way for my family. There’s nothing we can do about it.” Ok. Maybe there isn’t anything YOU can do about it. But what about God?
I am the Lord, the God of all living things! Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:37
If we let our hearts run with every thought that comes to mind, we will be in a dangerous place. Yes, I said dangerous. I don’t think that’s an exaggeration.
When we think about something, it impacts on how we think of ourselves, others, how we handle situations and our goals and actions. It’s very, very important.
Whether in labor or in life…let us watch our thoughts friends.
Because our thoughts become our words. Our words can bring life or death.
Choose wisely.