Your world is dark, safe, secure. You are bathed in warm liquid, cushioned from shock. You do nothing for yourself; you are fed automatically, and a murmuring heartbeat assures you that someone larger than you fills you’re not sure what to wait for, but any change seems far away and scary. You meet no sharp objects, no pain, no threatening adventures. A fine existence.
One day you feel a tug. The walls are falling in on you. Those soft cushions are now pulsing and beating against you, crushing you downwards. Your body is bent double., your limbs twisted and wrenched. You’re falling, upside down. For the first time in your life. you feel pain. You’re in a sea of rolling matter. There is more pressure, almost too intense to bear. Your head is squeezed flat, and you are pushed harder, harder into a dark tunnel. Oh, the pain. Noise. More pressure.
You hurt all over. You hear a groaning sound and an awful, sudden fear rushes in on you. It is happening—your world is collapsing. You’re sure it’s the end. You see a piercing, blinding light. Cold, rough hands pull at you. A painful slap. Waaaaaaaaaaah!
Congratulations! You’ve just been born.
One day you feel a tug. The walls are falling in on you. Those soft cushions are now pulsing and beating against you, crushing you downwards. Your body is bent double., your limbs twisted and wrenched. You’re falling, upside down. For the first time in your life. you feel pain. You’re in a sea of rolling matter. There is more pressure, almost too intense to bear. Your head is squeezed flat, and you are pushed harder, harder into a dark tunnel. Oh, the pain. Noise. More pressure.
You hurt all over. You hear a groaning sound and an awful, sudden fear rushes in on you. It is happening—your world is collapsing. You’re sure it’s the end. You see a piercing, blinding light. Cold, rough hands pull at you. A painful slap. Waaaaaaaaaaah!
Congratulations! You’ve just been born.
Philip Yancey
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It was another 'crying night' for me last night. I know God was trying to take me out again of my world. And like leaving teh womb, it seems frightening, portentous, full of pain.
I am just afraid of the unknown. I would rather drop the whole idea than risk and see a bright new world. I am such a whimp.
Last night, I was like a child groaning, sobbing for God's attention. I knew I was trying to convince God to purge everything about the issue. I just can't take the issue any longer. I was battling against myself, my will. But I was losing...its just too intense to bear.
I cried, buckets of tears. And it felt good to cry, to let out all the liquid words.
I know God is birthing something in my character. And I have to endure the this. I know it will take time and it is a painful process. But after awhile, when I see the end of this, I know I will be amazed how clearly things come into focus.
No wonder Jesus reffered to this as being "born again".
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