Hope — Part Four
Today, I wish to touch upon the topic of infertility. I am aware that it can be a painful and sensitive topic to broach on especially if you have been trying to conceive a child for years and it hasn’t yet happened, leaving you with dashed hope, anger and disappointment. Maybe it was your dream to have a family of your own and you are left watching that dream die as you receive the medical report that you may no longer be able to have children or you’ve reached an age (for women especially) where the doctor says you are in the high-risk category of pregnancy complications. It is especially hard and poignant when you see your friends or close loved ones around you, growing families of their own — but yet it hasn’t happened for you and you are left wondering why? Yes you are happy for your friends and loved ones — yet at the same time, you are grieving your loss inwardly — the loss of never conceiving, birthing and holding your child. No-one sees the tears that you are crying silently on the inside.
I know…..
In the midst of the loss and despair which infertility can bring, I wanted to share with you the message of hope if I may…. There are many documented evidence and testimonies of couples in the word of God, who have walked this earth, and beat the odds and conceived children which today’s society may perceive as impossible circumstances. Chapter One in the Book of Luke, speaks about Elizabeth (a descendant of Aaron), who was childless and not able to conceive. The Book of Luke also describes her as ‘very old’. However, Elizabeth does receive a prophecy that she would bear a son. Elizabeth became pregnant, gave birth to a son, who we know as John the Baptist. Today’s society and scientific evidence, will say that it is absolutely impossible for an elderly couple to conceive and birth a child. Yet it happened in the lives of Elizabeth and Zechariah. I am not dismissing science, which I respect and value very much. This is a clear example of how God defied the odds for one couple (Elizabeth and Zechariah). Is anything too hard or impossible for God? I have read many examples in the word of God where couples who were infertile, prayed to God, conceived and gave birth to their miracle child. I am sharing these examples to inspire hope and to encourage you not to give up:
Genesis 25:31 says that “Isaac prayed to the Lord on behalf of his wife, because she was childless. The Lord answered his prayer and his wife became pregnant”
Judges 13:2 speaks about a man of Zorah, named Manoah. The Book of Judges quotes that “He had a wife who was childless and unable to give birth. In Judges 13:3, the angel of the Lord appears to her and said you are barren and childless among women, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son”. Manoah’s wife became pregnant and gave birth to a boy, whom she called Samson.
Similarly, Hannah in the Book of Samuel, was distraught and deeply anguished that she could not conceive a child (1 Samuel 1:10). “Hannah prayed to God, weeping bitterly. In the course of time, the Lord remembered her, Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son”. (1 Samuel 1:20).
If it is your desire to start a family, and it hasn’t happened yet. Don’t give up hope. Keep praying, keep believing and keep reading testimonies to nourish your faith. Prayer is powerful. God wants to give you the desires of your heart. If Elizabeth and Zechariah, Manoah and Zoran and Isaac and Rebekah saw their hopes and dreams of having a come to pass, surely it can happen for you too?
