The main reason why I haven’t lost my mind or become completely distraught about this season of infertility is because I have a clear perspective on the issue. Having the right perspective is everything! It’s the difference between driving in the middle of a thunderstorm and driving with clear blue skies. When you have the right perspective, all of a sudden, life makes some sense and is bearable! When your perspective is clouded by incorrect thinking or lies, that’s when you find yourself in trouble! You become lost in a fog, disoriented, and depressed. So where does clear perspective come from? The Bible. So what does the Bible say about infertility?
Thankfully, the Bible is not quiet on the issue of infertility. In fact, I’m in good company because there were several women in the Bible who were infertile. Over the next few posts, I will explore what the Bible says about infertility through the lives of a few different women. The first woman we will look at is Sarah.
Sarah
Sarah and Abraham desperately wanted a child. God promised Abraham he would have offspring (Genesis 15). This didn’t make much sense because Sarah “had borne him no children” (Genesis 16:1). So, Sarah and Abraham took things into their own hands and Abraham slept with Sarah’s servant.
But God makes a promise to Abraham and Sarah, “I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her.” Abraham asked, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old bear a child?” God answered, “Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.” (excerpts from Genesis 17:16-19)
A year later, “The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. “ (Genesis 21:1-2)
What is God Saying and Doing?
Now, read these passages and focus on what God is saying and doing.
“I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her” (Genesis 17:16)
“The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. “ (Genesis 21:1-2)
It is clear from these passages that God is the one at work. By human standards, there is no way Sarah could have a baby at the age of 90! But the Bible clearly says that God is the one who blessed her. God gave her a son. The Lord visited Sarah. He did to Sarah as he promised. The Lord was at work, and Sarah conceived.
Babies come from God
No matter how you slice it, babies come from God. I can try really hard to “do everything right.” Have babies at the right age, during my ovulation period, etc…but still, I cannot control my body! I cannot make the egg drop from my ovaries! My husband cannot make his sperm swim to meet the egg at the perfect time and location! He cannot control the shape of the sperm, or make it swim faster, or produce more! I mean, sure, he can do things in hopes that it changes…but he cannot CONTROL it. We both cannot make them join together and then embed them in my uterus! I really have no control over anything! I suppose with IVF, a doctor help help facilitate this process, but they can’t necessarily CONTROL the quality of your sperm. They cannot CONTROL your eggs. They do their best, but they really cannot. And even if they implant the embryo into your uterus, they cannot MAKE IT grow. But who can bring the egg and sperm together and make them grow in my uterus?! That’s right, God can. He is the one who does it every time!
“For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.” (Psalm 139:13-14)
Babies Are a Gift
And when God grows a baby inside of you, it’s a gift! Read Genesis 17:16, what does it say? “…I will give you a son by her.” Babies are literally a gift from God. Sure, we do our part, but that’s pretty much it. The rest is up to God!
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)
This verse is a reminder that every good and perfect gift, including a baby is from God. It can be so easy to think, “I earned this! I deserve this! I worked hard for this! I’ve waited my whole life to be a mother! This is my right as a woman, to have a child!” But the reality is that a baby is a gift from God! Nothing we do earns us a baby…It’s important to remember, “No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11). God knows what is for my good and he will not withhold it from me. If giving me a baby is for my good, he will give me a baby, not withhold it. BUT, if a baby at this moment is NOT for my good, then God in his divine wisdom probably won’t give me a baby right now.
The second part of the verse, “coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows,” brings me to my next point. God is faithful and he doesn’t change. He isn’t flaky like you and me! In the story about Abraham and Sarah, God promised he would give them a son. He is faithful to keep his word because that is who God is! Therefore, we know that God will follow-through on his promises to you and to me too.
Reflection
- Read Genesis 15-21 to get the big picture view of Sarah and Abraham’s infertility journey. After everything they went through, how did Isaac come about?
- Ask yourself, do you recognize babies as a gift from God, or do you think a baby is a “gift” you earn or deserve? If it’s the latter, repent and ask God to give you a clear perspective and right attitude on the matter.
- God is a faithful God and he will fulfill his promises. List some of God’s promises to you and pray them back to God.
**You can purchase this super cute print that is featured in the image above through Shiloh Collect.