What if someone offered you (seemingly) irrational advice that could alter the course of your infertility journey? Would you be willing to try it? What if it didn’t change the time it took you to become a parent, or the number of heartaches you’d experience along the way – but it changed your perspective on the journey. Would you still consider it useful advice?
Yes? Then I want to pass on these words and challenge you to live into them for the next two weeks:
“…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you…” [I Thessalonians 5:18].
I can tell you from experience, this is not a challenge for the faint-hearted. It takes incredible effort and self-discipline. But it’s worth it. The results are dramatic. Instead of feeling stressed, nervous, anxious, sleepless, worried, frantic, irritable, and much more… you will begin to experience peace despite the uncertainty of infertility. You will find rest in the midst of your struggle.
How? By resisting the natural impulse to respond to every bit of bad news with fear. Fear takes our eyes off God and puts them on the things we cannot control. Giving thanks in all circumstances redirects our attention – away from what we see in the moment, to the One who controls that moment and who has promised us hope and a future.
When your news is negative, expressing gratitude can seem like a completely irrational choice… unless there’s more to the story than the moment’s bad news. When a long-awaited result isn’t what you hope for, it’s devastating… unless there’s more to the story than the moment’s bad news. It’s easy to get mired in despair and the grief that accompanies loss… unless there’s more to the story than the moment’s bad news.
There is more to the story! God is at work. You are not battling infertility alone. In the unseen realm, He is creating opportunities, scheduling “coincidences,” sending encouragement and implementing “the plans I have for you – plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
You might have scripted your story differently. Most infertile couples would. But God has chosen to let your story unfold this way in order to make “all things work together for good.” There is a reason for everything that’s happening. Some of that may become clear in hindsight; some may not. But you can trust that God is in control.
Giving thanks actively asserts your faith in the goodness and purposefulness of God. It makes you feel stronger because it replaces fear with confident hope. It renews the prospect of joy because it anticipates blessings which are in-the-works. It is a great coping strategy! But, on the surface, it looks completely irrational.
That’s why I’m encouraging to take the Two-Week Challenge. Try thanking God for what He’s doing, and lean into believing that it’s all good, and see if that doesn’t change how you experience this journey. I predict it will.
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For more inspiration and cause for hope, visit PregnantWithHope.com
Pregnant with Hope 