Originally published Thursday, 17 April 2014.
Excerpt from the devotional Waiting for God to Fill the Cradle - for Infertility Awareness Month
Recently, two women were sharing their deep disappointment over their friends having more kids and their not being pregnant again - yes, again. Their struggle is certainly not to be discounted. But I sat there thinking, "At least you have one!"
I've read the Internet articles about infertility and know that without God's hand of intervention, the statistics say bearing children is out of the picture for us. It is easy to get pretty good and down in the dumps over the emptiness those stats declare over my situation. But, God's Word gives me two pieces of hope to hang onto when my thoughts turn gloomy.
First, all children are a gift from God's hand and some of us He just makes more keenly aware of that fact! So, I am praying and waiting for Him to provide instead of giving scientific research the last word on the matter. Secondly, over the desolate, lonely, and barren places in our life God speaks these words over us:
It will no longer be said to you, "Forsaken," nor to your land will it any longer be said, "Desolate"; but you will be called, "My delight is in her," and your land, "Married"; for the LORD delights in you, and to Him your land will be married. Isaiah 62:4
There is hope! God will not leave us alone because He calls us into intimate relationship with Him. And over even the things in my life that say "Failure" "Broken" "Worthless" "Void" He will rename them "My Delight"! I am not on the other side of this, but I am hanging onto every ounce of encouragement and hope I can get from God! And over and over again His Word reveals that He is in the business of turning empty into full and victim to victor. Any one of us could get lost wandering the wasteland of our childless state. We could get depressed, bitter, angry. We could ruin our marriages or cut God off completely. But in the end, we would be the losers. So, I am choosing to hold onto God's character and His track record of goodness, sovereignty and His ability to turn any situation around. I am waiting to see what He does with this thing that feels so "Desolate" and what happens when He renames it "My Delight."
For more encouragement on the topic of infertility, read Waiting for God to Fill the Cradle: A One Month Devotional for Couples.
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