Understanding Infertility

I am preparing to share my testimony this afternoon with the ladies at Iglesia Bautista Rio Claro. When speaking about my experience with infertility, I always include the following excerpt from a book entitled, “When Empty Arms Become a Heavy Burden.” This excerpt is actually from a letter, the author of which was not a Christian. I honestly do not know how I would have survived the heartache of that time in my life without God. Even when I was angry and questioned what He was doing, I had to believe that God is sovereign. Many of you have never experienced infertility, but each of you will undoubtedly encounter women in your church or circle of influence who are hurting immensely over this issue.

The letter describes the extent of the pain that an infertile woman can experience. Speaking of the human heart, the author says:

You connected it to everything. Every sight and every gesture, every cell in every tissue in every organ in every body registers somewhere in the heart. To touch a new baby, to contemplate eternity, to ovulate, to bury a grandmother, to love a man—these, and a thousand other events coagulate, and somewhere in the thick purple muscle of the heart, form a longing: to have children. It is not an irrational desire. It is, in fact, the natural order of things. It is unnatural only inside a woman who is barren. Then this longing, this sweet harmless longing, turns on itself, clogs the openings to the heart, hardening many of the tender spots, breaking it in places, and finally, in desperation, exploding. All that is left is a great gaping hold that will never be filled.

When our first adoption fell through, a friend came over to my house to sit and cry with me. She actually called and said, "I'm coming, whether you like or not!" So many times we don't have the words to share with someone who is hurting, but often this is all that is needed - sitting beside her and sharing her tears.

"Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."

2 Corinthians 1:4