“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV

“Your body has had a significant amount of trauma so take it easy these next few months, but make sure you get up and move too.”

Those were the instructions I received upon discharge from the hospital, and they weren’t kidding. My daughter’s birth hadn’t gone as planned and I had experienced firsthand what a “traumatic delivery” really meant. I felt like I had been smacked by a semi-truck.

I was grateful that she was alive and healthy. I was grateful I was alive and healthy enough to head home, but I remember smirking a bit one night as I read 1 Corinthians 6:19 during my nightly Epsom salt bath. “God, I know my body is your temple but right now it isn’t a very pretty one!”

Have you felt this way after delivery? Maybe your once-perfect stomach now bears a C-Section scar or maybe the pain of that Grade 4 tear makes it nearly impossible to sit for a moment of rest.

Let me remind you, dear Mama, that although it will take time your temple (body) will be rebuilt and restored.

“I went through a traumatic delivery too and I promise your body will heal,” were the encouraging words that a friend passed along to me when she caught wind of the struggles we had faced. I held onto the hope that she presented to me and continued to trust that God was going to be faithful to heal my body.

And although it took time, He rebuilt and restored my temple.

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Throughout the healing process, I looked to scripture for specific examples of where God “rebuilt” or “restored” something that had been broken. The Holy Spirit prompted me to read Nehemiah 4:7-23, a passage that describes how the Jewish people rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem and also the temple (as documented in the book of Ezra) after they were exiled.

Here’s how the passage begins in Nehemiah

“So we built the wall. And all the wall was joined together to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and that the breaches were beginning to be closed, they were very angry. And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.”

Nehemiah 4:6-9 ESV

Let me share some insights that the Lord downloaded to me while reading this chapter:

• 1. “The people had a mind to work.” Do you have a mind to work on your own rebuilding? Sure, it’s far easier and less painful to continue to lay in bed or on the couch (and yes rest is important) but you will also have to get up, walk around, and start working! One thing my husband tells his patients at the hospital is, “This hospital bed is one of the most dangerous things in the hospital. It’s not meant for you to stay in it.” Let’s switch our minds to start working on our bodily rebuilding!
• 2. “And they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it.” How rude were those enemies, right? Just when Jerusalem’s walls were making progress, here comes their adversary to cause confusion and halt their progress. Has there been something that has stopped your healing process? Has there been something that has made you question, “Why did that happen God?” Remember that God is always for you and working things out for your good! The devil is the one who places confusing and doubtful thoughts within our minds, in hopes that we will begin to question God’s goodness. I’m grateful God defined where confusing thoughts come from. In 1 Corinthians 14:33 it says, “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” So if those doubtful and questioning thoughts come, bring them to the feet of the Father. He’s the one with the answers anyway! Tell Him what you’re struggling to understand but then acknowledge that He is the God of peace and that He is always working out things for your good.
• 3. Ask the Lord to help you guard yourself. In verse 9, Nehemiah asks the Lord to help them and protect them. In verse 10 the people even acknowledge, “by ourselves, we will not be able to rebuild the wall.” As you can imagine, a wall to the city during that time was essential. Without that first layer of protection, the people were incredibly vulnerable. What is your first layer of protection? I challenge you to ask the Lord today to help guard your health, your mind, your emotions, your family, your finances, and any other area that needs “guarding” during this vulnerable time of rebuilding your temple. He’s ready and waiting to help you just like He helped Nehemiah and the Israelites (you can find out how He did it in Nehemiah 4:15.)

If you’re in physical pain today Mama, know that God will help you rebuild your temple. He’s already at work behind the scenes putting layers of tissue back where they need to be, easing the pain of aching muscles and creating fresh skin around wounds. Renew your mindset to trust Him through it! He created your body and calls it beautiful, even when it feels broken.

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