THE PAIN OF INFERTILITY

After reading my post yesterday of TWELVE BIBLICAL REASONS WHY GOD GIVES US CHILDREN a number of mothers shared that it was hard for them to read because they struggle with the pain of infertility. Dear precious ladies in this situation, I want you to know that I agonize with you. The ache and longing for children can be unbearable. After many years of barrenness, Rachel, Jacob's wife, cried out in despair, "Give me children, or else I die" (Genesis 30:1).

Please don't despair, dear mothers. Can I encourage you to trust in God's ultimate sovereignty? You cannot understand the pain and heartache you endure. You cannot understand why you cannot conceive. "Why is God not blessing me?" you cry out. There is so much we go through that we will never understand this side of eternity. We do not live in a perfect world. But one day we will see the big picture. 2 Corinthians 4:18 says: "For your light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a FAR MORE EXCEEDING AND ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." The Knox translation says: "This light momentary affliction brings with it a reward multiplied every way, LOADING US WITH EVERLASTING GLORY."

God is in control of every situation of our lives. He is God. He is the I AM THAT I AM., He is not the God we want Him to be. That is a false God. He is not a God we can put in a little box to toe the line to our desires. That is a false God. He is the sovereign God of the universe. He is the sovereign God of eternity.

Please trust Him, dear precious hurting ones. Yes, the blessing of children is one of God's very precious blessings, and the first blessing He gave to mankind (Genesis 1: 28). But God continually blesses us. He blesses you moment by moment. God's blessings are myriad. Look for His blessings in your life. Count them one by one. Never give up thanking Him for the blessings He gives you. God understands your heart and He will comfort you and minister to you and show you His will for your life.

He blesses you with His divine Presence. He blesses you with His sustaining, life-giving Word. He blesses you with your husband and a home to live in. He blesses you with family and friends. He blesses you with the gift of a new day to live for Him and glorify Him, for isn't this our ultimate goal? The shorter catechism says: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever."

And above all, He blesses you with the gift of salvation. To have the blessing of forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life is beyond anything we ever deserve. Every other blessing is only icing on the cake.

Although to conceive a baby is the longing of every woman, our ultimate joy is found only in God. Press into Him, dear sweet mother. Draw close to Him. He is your Sufficiency. He is your Source. He is your Refuge. He is your Joy. He is your Savior. He is your Comforter. He is El Shaddai, the God who is Enough, the only One who is able to satisfy the longing of your heart. Nothing can take His place.

And never give up hope. I know mothers who have conceived after waiting ten and even more years. God has His perfect timing. Keep trusting Him and as you wait for His blessing of a baby. I just heard this morning of another couple who have suffered the pain of infertility, but now, after ten years of waiting they are having a baby! Praise God. Do you remember that Rebecca, Isaac's wife was infertile for twenty years before she conceived?

Trust Him when dark doubts assail thee,
Trust Him when thy strength is small,
Trust Him when to simply trust Him
Is the hardest thing of all.

I loved reading Rachael Stokes' comment to yesterday's post. Rachael is the grandmother of the beautiful new baby Jackson pictured in the post. She says: "I suffered and struggled with infertility for quite a number of years and it was indeed very painful. I waited nine years for Seth and then another eight years for your youngest, Ruby. I came to the point where if someone made a pregnancy announcement in church I would fall apart. I could not attend baby showers --they were too painful.

Finally, God convicted me that I was bitter. If I couldn't feel joy for someone else, I was selfish. With God's divine help I surrendered to Him and found joy whether or not I had a baby. My joy and peace comes from the Lord. Then God did bless us with a baby. He doesn't always do this, but it was our testimony and I have also heard it many times from others. God is good, whether or not he gives us exactly what we believe we want and need. Surrendering our fertility is just that--surrendering to His sovereign will, whatever the results."

Others commented how they have adopted and how God has blessed them through receiving children this way. One mother shared: "Just because you did not birth your child does not mean God does not love you. He loves you enough to know that you can take a child born to someone else and raise that child as your own. God blessed us with our daughter whom we adopted and we wouldn't have it any other way. She truly was meant to be our daughter and we feel so blessed each and every day."

May you nestle in God's comfort and love and His divine plan for you.

~ Nancy Campbell