Sometimes, we are overwhelmed by the darkness and depression that consistently and continually seep into our lives. It is a downright insidious attack. But God said that hope never fails (1 Corinthians 13:13). His Word and His love give us reason to never give up until the radiant light of His Word has broken through the darkness!
Hope begins in the midst of darkness and depression…
Hope is defined as a joyful and confident expectation of good. [Source: Thayer’s Lexicon]
I like to think of hope as H.O.P.E.:
Having
Only
Positive
Expectations
In this acrostic, “positive” not only means the opposite of negative, it also means confident, fully assured. Therefore, each day you can choose to have a confident expectation of something good coming your way to bring you out of this season of infertility.
The prophet Jeremiah is a case study for how to maintain hope. Consistently recalling what his enemy had done to him caused Jeremiah to get deeply depressed. His mind and emotions were not at peace and he even became oblivious to anything good (Lamentations 3). But, when he chose to recall the good things God had done, he was filled with hope, confidence, and expectancy.
Practice H.O.P.E. daily!
Make the choice to recall the good that God has already done in your life. Remember that He loves you, is always with you, and enjoys making Himself available to do you good.
The account of Abraham & Sarah overcoming infertility is referenced in Romans 4 and tells of how he had a steadfast, firm hope in God’s promises. Verse 18 says that he “hoped against hope.” The phrase “hope against hope” means to continue to have hope even though the present circumstances and future outlook don’t warrant it. Abraham kept looking for the manifestation of God’s promise of a child. That’s how you have only positive expectations!
Remember, hope begins in the midst of darkness and never gives up until the light has broken through!
Give yourself permission to be like Abraham– keep your hope alive. Even though depression may be looming large, even though your natural circumstances may not warrant having hope, keep the light of hope burning bright in the midst of the darkness. When you get tired of waiting, God is still right there to help you continue on. Let Him know you’d like His help in maintaining your H.O.P.E.. As you trust in Him and His goodness, it becomes easier to maintain and overflow in hope.
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
~ Romans 15:13 (NLT)
Will you choose to refuse despair and move toward victory each day?
[This post includes an excerpt from my book, Infertility Sucks!]
What a wonderful reminder to keep trusting God in all that he has promised.- Thanks for sharing Evangeline!
Wishing you all the best of His joy and peace as you keep your trust anchored in Jesus!
I can not wait to get to the other side of infertility, so I too can really encourage others by first hand experience. Thanks for sharing Evangeline.
I expect to be pregnant almost each month, but I have yet to see a positive pregnancy test. It is so hard to wait, but I hope and expect it to happen soon, I have waited too long already for my children to come!
Elisabeth, I know it’s hard to wait, especially when the wait seems unwarranted and drags on for what seems like forever! But I encourage you to assess HOW you experience the wait. Focus on Jesus’ love for you. Ask Him what it is that you still need to see in His Word. Make a decision to wait with a patient, confident, and calm heart—one that trusts the power of His promises and the faithfulness of His love.
I think you already have a powerful testimony.
Praying for you!
Elisabeth, I happened to reading something today that made me think of you. The writer (Charles Capps) said,”Prayer alone does not bring deliverance. It is the prayer of faith that brings deliverance. When you pray, believe. Have patience. Patience is a spiritual force which undergirds your faith and causes you to be constant through the trial.”
Also, I hope you find these verses encouraging…
“So don’t lose your confidence. It will bring you a great reward. You need patient endurance so that after you have done what God wants you to do, you can receive what He has promised.” ~Hebrews 10:35-36
Hi,
thank you Evangeline! Yes the wait is the hardest thing I`ve ever experienced, and I find it very hard to wait with a calm heart. I recently quit my job, I couldn`t do my job proper anymore. Infertility seems to have left me completely broken down from normal functioning, and it`s really ruining my life. It makes me angry to see the person I have become, and I am desperate for a breakthrough in this area.
Infertility has taken so many years from me, that I often pray for a double blessing for the time lost.
I feel like God has led me not to take more IVF treatment and that He is going to come through for me somehow, and I am very happy with that. But I must admit, with every beginning cycle it is hard to take God at his word.
I hope that not long from now I will sending you my testimony of joy and breakthrough, my life is depending on it!
Elisabeth,
I remember what it feels like to think He may never come through. Not good. I had to make a decision to stay away from that kind of thinking (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
Encourage yourself to trust that God DOES keep His word!
BE CAREFUL to not allow getting pregnant to become an idol—something that reigns in your mind, taking the place that God should have.
Make a decision to rest in knowing that He loves you. As your loving Father, He wants to see you ENJOY life and to generously supply everything you need and desire.
Rest assured, He hears you, He sees you AND He cares! He loves you and wants the best for you. The devil would like nothing better than to distract you and make you think that you don’t matter to God. Here’s something I share in my book, Live to Win, that I hope will encourage you: Remember the acronym B-A-S-E-S –> BELIEVE God loves you, ACT As If you already have the victory, SPEAK the Word to yourself daily, EXPECT only good things to come each day, & STAND on His promises of fertility with an Attitude of Gratitude and with Praise!
===>Since you’re no longer working, make it a point to listen to some praise music throughout each day. This will help keep you focused on His love and His willingness. Allow worship to become a priority. Allow yourself to receive a fresh revelation of His love!