It will be like a woman suffering the pains of labor. When her child is born, her anguish gives way to joy because she has brought a new baby into the world. So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy. (John 16:21-22)
Read: Matthew 21:1-11, Matthew 26:6-13, Mark 11:1-11, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 19:28-44, John 12:1-36
Relate: I have never been pregnant. I never will be pregnant. Thank God I am a man. There are unique and extremely different pains and privileges specific to each gender and pregnancy… that is you women’s pain. We men don’t get off scot free, though. Nope. We alone have the opportunity to experience the horrendous pain that is kidney stones. Yes I know women can get kidney stones too, but the exit doors are not the same. I am not here argue which experience: pregnancy or passing a stone, is more painful. I will just say that most women get that epidural as quickly as possible while we men must suffer the passing.
The thing that ultimately tips the scales towards men having the worse experience is the end result. Once a woman’s suffering is done, she gets to hold in her arms a beautiful new life. Once the man’s suffering is done… Seriously? That’s it? The bane of my existence is, that? This little thing is what has been causing all that trouble? I have passed a kidney stone. Never again. Somebody kill me first.
React: Her anguish gives way to joy. Jesus was a man and he almost certainly passed a stone. After all scripture says, He knows our sufferings and there is only one way to know… Anyways, that illustration would not work for describing the suffering of this world because in the end nothing good comes of it. For the believer, our suffering is far more like pregnancy. Though there is pain in the moment, in the end it will be far more than worth it all. Spiritual kidney stones… those are the exclusive property of the unbeliever.
Respond:
Dear God,
Although, when going through it, I wish You would do away with pain altogether. Even knowing how empty and shallow and superficial it would make life, sometimes I wish suffering simply did not exist. But it does. For whatever reason, You allow it. Help me to understand that even though I might not know the reason in the moment, that there is a reason in the end. Though I experience pain now, new life is right around the corner.
Amen
THE RIVER WALK 
I love the analogy. “her anguish brings her joy.” Your anguish should also bring you joy, the sucker is gone! No more pain. 🙂
Relief more than joy. 🙂
I have suffered the pains of childbirth, and also the pain of kidney stones. I concur…the stones are worse.
Never had a baby (impossible) but have had stones 7 times. You can wish someone you severely dislike KS. That’s about the worst that can befall them.
Men are not the only ones who have kidney stones. I had one the size of an average person’s thumbnail. Plus had many smaller ones. AND I had four babies! And my 9 year old daughter has had kidney stones 3 times. Be lucky you’re a man and ONLY has kidney stones. Lol.
I think this is a good general analogy for the difference in suffering for the believer/unbeliever but I can tell you as a bereaved mother, some of life’s suffering (even though I know it will END in joy) is very much like kidney stones. I have bourne 4 children and had kidney stones several times, so I definitely understand the analogy. And Sandysays1-KS aren’t the worst thing–trust me.
Pingback: Spiritual Kidney Stones – pastorwardclinton
Wow! Can I ever relate to this. It is definitely one of those “Been there, done that, got the T-shirt; Don’t ever want to go back.”
Very thought provoking.
Never had KS but did have gall stones, requiring removal of the gall bladder and a second surgery to get a stone that was in a duct. Thought that pain was over, until 4 years later when i had the same pain again. Told I was the one in a million who made gall stones even without the gall bladder! More surgery. Oh yeah! Giving birth was a snap compared to the stones. Great analogy, and especially liked the last paragraph and its conclusion: “Spiritual kidney stones… those are the exclusive property of the unbeliever.”
I cannot imagine the relief you must have felt after you passed the kidney stone D: Good thing it’s out of your body now. I loved the analogy as well, plus you are right, of course: sometimes going through tremendous pains can give you the biggest relief.
Great lines:) very interesting.
It’s true that there is a joy in the end of pain, but I believe there is a joy in giving off the stone away..right? You don’t have to suffer anymore.
But it’s thought provoking. One can easily relate in their life. Good.:)