Birth it Out
Originally Written in 2020
Sometimes you have to go through a season of loss, or barrenness, before you reach your season of expansion. Rachel knows all too well what it means to be barren before being expanded. There she was, minding her own business of being a shepherd for her father’s flock, and along comes Jacob. In one day, she goes from being just a shepherd, to falling in love, and becoming betrothed. While her life consisted of tending to her father’s flock, she now has hope for something more. She probably began to entertain thoughts of being a wife and mother, and ultimately having a life outside of tending to her father’s flock. Their chance meeting at the local well changed the course of her life forever.
You may be a lot like Rachel. Going about your daily business, doing what’s required of you, not expecting that there could be more to life than what you’ve already experienced. You may have become complacent with merely existing, because you’ve never had a reason to really LIVE. That is until someone drops in your life that challenges your norm. Had Rachel and Jacob not met at that well she may have died with the potential of what her life could have been instead of living out that potential.
Rachel’s life wasn’t all sunshine and roses after meeting Jacob. It was quite the contrary. Her life was surrounded by deceit, lies, betrayal, and scandal. You would think that after she met the man of her dreams that they would ride off happily into the sunset, but there’s a plot twist. Jacob was tricked into marrying Rachel’s older sister Leah. I’m pretty sure you can imagine what Rachel was going through. You know what it’s like to almost win. You’re near the finish line, victory is impending, and then all of sudden it’s snatched from your grasp. So now Rachel has to endure the adversity of being Jacob’s first choice but being second-class to her sister because she was born after her.
Even after she was able to marry Jacob, it wasn’t what she expected. Leah was able to produce multiple children for Jacob, yet Rachel’s womb was closed. Imagine finally getting what was promised to you, only to find out you can’t produce. You landed the job, but it’s not as fruitful as you thought it would be. You started the business, but it’s yet to become productive. Although everything seems to be dry right now, don’t give up where you are. Your barrenness is about to end, and expansion is on the horizon.
Rachel was so sure that her barren season had ended that she named her firstborn Joseph…meaning, “the Lord shall add to me another son.” Rachel’s barren season ended when prophecy was birthed. In spite of her dying while birthing that which she prophesied, her legacy lives on to this day. Even though Leah had birthed 6 sons and a daughter before Rachel had birthed one child, Rachel was still convinced that she wouldn’t die barren. You should be just like Rachel. What is it that you have yet to birth that’s holding up your expansion? I encourage you to stretch your faith, trust what you know God told you, and do it even if you have to shake in your boots! Don’t die barren…BIRTH IT OUT!
Let’s Pray: Lord, help me to hold fast to Your promises to me, even when I don’t see their manifestation. I know Your Word is true, and what you’ve spoken concerning my destiny and my future will come to pass…no matter what it currently looks like. You’re still God in my barren season, so this too shall pass!
Keep Living!