Finding Your Faith in Birth — A True Spiritual Birth
Many would argue that birth is only a physical event. But, after 6 pregnancies and 4 live births, I can say that simply isn’t true. Pregnancy can be a spiritually life-changing event if you allow yourself to let go of your will and follow the will of God.
The idea of a spiritual birth can often come across as more of a New Age idea but I would argue that the Orthodox Christian church is the holder of spiritual birth because we have an understanding of the mystical life in the Church. Birth is one of the places women are able to meet God.
Throughout scripture, we see men have to leave their homes, lands, and company to meet God. Abraham left his father’s home, Moses went to the Mount, or Jonah who was sent away to another country to follow God’s will. Whereas women, usually stay in the home to find Christ.
Ruth at Boaz's feet, Anna during her time of mourning when Joachim went to the desert, or Mary the Mother of God, whose life changed when she said yes to bearing Christ in her womb at home. And as mothers, whether you are a full time homemaker or not, your main focus is the home. God created us to be that way!
The idea of finding your Faith through your pregnancy and birth may be foreign to some. If I’m being honest, I didn’t know it was possible until my fourth birth. Of course I knew I needed God’s mercy and grace in my first three births, but it wasn’t until my fourth birth that I truly connected to God’s will and divine plan.
Unlike the New Age crowd who claims you are the divinity with power within yourself, I’ll flip that on its head and explain why following the True Divine power can lead to a pregnancy and birth that allows you to meet God, in His perfect design — even if you don’t have a home birth.
Grab your notepad! Let’s dive in.
The Mystical Side of Orthodoxy
In the Orthodox Christian church, we have an understanding that there is a mystical side to our lives. Some questions simply can’t be answered. “How is bread and wine transformed into the body and blood of Christ?” “How do saints perform life-changing miracles?” “How can wine and oil transform into Unction and heal incurable diseases?
These are mysteries! And part of living an Orthodox life means leaving the mystery at the feet of the Lord and saying “I believe Lord, help my unbelief” Mark 9:24.
Therefore, a life-changing, spiritual birth is entirely within the realm of also being a devout Orthodox Christian. As I said, my fourth birth opened my eyes to the power of our Lord and the mystery of his never-ending love for us. He doesn’t have to give us peaceful, joyful, pain-free births but sometimes he allows it because he knows it will draw us closer to Him. And other times, he also allows us to go through traumatic unexpected births, because he knows this will bring us closer to Him.
We have a prayer for pregnant mothers in the Church that says:
“O All-Merciful Christ our God, look down and protect me, Your handmaiden, from fear and from evil spirits that seek to destroy the work of Your hands. And when my hour and time is come, deliver me by Your grace. Look with a compassionate eye and deliver me, Your handmaiden, from pain. Lighten my infirmity in the time of my travail and grant me fortitude and strength for birth-giving, and hasen it by Your almighty help. For this is Your glorious work, the power of Your omnipotence, the work of Your grace and tender-heartedness. Amen.”
What a perfect illustration of trusting God with your birth. Our Lord is tender-hearted and merciful. He wants us to cry out to Him, to ask Him into the birth space. To find Him through childbirth.
Scripture on Birth and Following the Will of God
When we look at Scripture on birth, many talk about the travail women face in birth or that the woman is saved through birth giving. But what about the connection between God and the woman when it comes to birth? At the beginning God created Adam and then bestowed the gift of co-creator on Eve when he opened her womb.
Psalm 139: 13 states “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.” As a pregnant woman you are a co-creator with God. So as much your body changes physically and your baby grows cell by cell, your understanding of the world changes too. Your connection to God is closer than ever during pregnancy and birth because of the radical transformation taking place.
Childbirth is a time to lean into the deep trust required of us as Christians. If your Faith hasn’t been tested before, this may be the time that God asks you to give your whole self to him. But that doesn’t mean God doesn’t hear your prayers. In Mark 11:24 Jesus says, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” But always keep in mind what He also teaches “...but not my will, thy will be done.” Luke 22:42
You see, God has a perfect design for us. He created our bodies to work! He knew in his infinite wisdom that women needed birth for salvation — but of course, that is not to say you can’t find salvation without childbirth. I am saying that God knew we needed an avenue, made only for us, to attain sanctification.
Physiological Birth — God’s Perfect Design
Birth, when left alone, is meant to work. The perfect cocktail of hormones ignites and your body and baby work together in perfect harmony. It’s a miracle that any baby is conceived. Perfect conditions are needed for sperm and egg to unite and then it's by God’s grace that the baby grows.
Then through months of sacrifice, love, and time you slowly not only discover a new life through your growing baby but also in yourself as a new mother. Whether this is your first, fifth, or tenth baby, you are born anew every time.
St. Paisios says that, “She [a mother] pushes herself to do everything, but because she loves her children and she loves her home, she does everything with joy.” And then labor comes it takes immense patience and trust to allow God to work. But that’s where a “spiritual birth” can take place; when we abandon our desires for a perfect birth and allow God to work.
I would say it’s more common to have a “spiritual birth” in an undisturbed home birth but, I have seen women have beautiful, healing, and spiritual births whether they were induced, had a cesarean section, or had a planned home birth.
A spiritual birth, from an Orthodox mindset, comes when we follow the will of God, through prayer and discernment.
Embrace the Will of God for a True Spiritual Birth
The world wants to write off pregnancy and birth as a medical event, which requires intervention and fear. God’s design should not inspire fear, but rather, peace and trust.
If you fully believe in the power of God, you can meet him wherever you are. Like the father with the demon possessed son (Mark 9:24) cry our to our Lord, “I believe Lord! Help my unbelief” and He will meet you where you are. He will walk with you in your fear and lift you out of it. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5
What do you think? Do you think it’s possible to have a faith-filled spiritual birth? Let me know in the comments! And don’t forget to share this article with you mom friends.
