The Pain of Infertility – part 4

This is the 4th post in the series  “Fertility:  It’s In God’s Hands, Not Ours”

You can read the previous posts here:  Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

You have heard Ruth’s side of the story, and now I’d like to just add a few thoughts of mine.

I’ve said it before, and it’s SO true —one of the HARDEST things about being a mom is watching your kids go through trials, and not being able to “fix” it.  I saw Ruth cry, but at the same time I saw her grow.  I saw her trusting the Lord through her pain, and there’s no way to say how much that blessed this mama’s heart.  Sometimes God allows those hurts to bring glory to Him, and as moms, we have to “let go and let God”.

How do you handle it when one of your “kids” is hurting so badly?

1.  I listened when she wanted to talk about it.

2.  Sometimes I cried with her; sometimes I cried when talking to God about it, and asking Him to comfort her.

3.  I prayed for her daily.

3.  As much as I WANTED to, I didn’t ask God to let her get pregnant. I know God has a reason for everything, and His timing is perfect.  I didn’t want to ask Him do something that I thought was best, because His ways aren’t our ways, and His ways are above ours.

4.  As much as I wanted to,  I also didn’t ask God to take the pain and difficulty away, because often that is such a huge way that our kids grow, and their faith becomes stronger.  Difficulties are intended to help us grow, and I didn’t want to ask God to take that opportunity from her.  (Believe me, I WANTED to ask Him to take the pain away, and let her get pregnant right away!)

5.  I DID ask God to comfort her, and to give her the grace and strength she needed to deal with the pain and disappointment she was struggling with.

6. I rejoiced as I saw God helping her, and how He taught her to trust Him through her heart ache.  I heard it in our conversations, and she expressed it in her story:

But as much as it hurt, I was okay with that, and told God many times over, that while I hoped He was going to allow me to get pregnant, I was willing to let Him do with us as He saw fit, as long as He gave us the grace to bear it. I had to learn that God is good, faithful and always right, and He did teach me that, and I will always believe it with all of my heart.

7.  I reminded God that He promised to hear and answer our prayers, and give us the desires of our heart if we trusted Him.   He knew Ruth’s desire, but I reminded Him of that, and said that I would love to see Him prove Himself, by giving her the desire of her heart, if that was His will.

It’s HARD to watch our children go through trials, but what a blessing to know they are safe in God’s hands, and that He is working all things out for good, and for His glory!  God is faithful, and we CAN trust Him always!