Infertility can be a painful and isolating experience. For those struggling to conceive, it’s natural to wonder why God allows this suffering. What does the Bible tell us about God’s heart for those dealing with infertility? Let’s explore what Scripture says.
Children Are a Blessing from God
First, the Bible clearly presents children as a blessing from God. Passages like Psalm 127:3-5 and Psalm 128:1-4 describe children as rewards and gifts. Other verses speak of barrenness as a form of affliction, such as Genesis 16:1-2 and 1 Samuel 1. So Scripture affirms that God desires to bless couples with children.
God Hears the Prayers of the Barren
The Bible offers hope to the barren through stories of God miraculously opening wombs. These examples remind us that nothing is impossible for God (Luke 1:37). Consider the following women who cried out to God and later conceived:
- Sarah – Genesis 21:1-7
- Rebekah – Genesis 25:21
- Rachel – Genesis 30:22-24
- Manoah’s wife (Samson’s mother) – Judges 13
- Hannah – 1 Samuel 1:1-20
- Elizabeth – Luke 1:5-25
Their stories confirm that God hears the prayers of the barren. We can approach Him with boldness and faith.
God Cares Deeply About Our Suffering
Infertility is deeply painful. Going month after month without conceiving can make couples feel isolated and hopeless. But Scripture reveals a God who cares deeply about human suffering. Consider the following examples of God’s compassion:
- When Hagar fled into the wilderness, pregnant and alone, God heard her affliction (Genesis 16:11).
- God saw the misery of the Israelites in Egypt and delivered them (Exodus 3:7-8).
- Jesus was moved with compassion and healed all the sick who came to Him (Matthew 14:14).
- Jesus wept with Mary and Martha over Lazarus’ death (John 11:33-35).
Likewise, God sees and cares about the trial of infertility. He is an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). We can cast all our anxiety on Him, trusting that He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).
God Can Redeem Any Trial for Good
God allows trials like infertility for reasons we cannot fully understand. But Scripture gives us hope that He is able to work all things for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28). While infertility may feel senseless and cruel, God can use even this for His glory and purposes.
For example, Sarah’s barrenness led her to desperately cry out to God, resulting in the miraculous conception of Isaac in her old age (Genesis 18). God used Samson’s previously barren mother to raise up a deliverer for Israel (Judges 13). And John the Baptist’s conception, thanks to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s prayers, signaled the coming of the Messiah (Luke 1).
In the same way, God may accomplish incredible things through our infertility if we continue to hope in Him. He can bring purpose from pain.
Trusting God’s Plan and Timing
Perhaps the greatest challenge in infertility is learning to trust God’s timing and plan. When months and years go by without a pregnancy, we start trying to take control and figure everything out on our own. But Scripture calls us to trust in the Lord with all our heart, rather than leaning on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Many couples in the Bible waited decades for the promise of a child, before God blessed them in His perfect timing: Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Rachel, Zechariah and Elizabeth. Their stories encourage us to patiently and prayerfully wait on the Lord, renewing our hope in Him (Lamentations 3:25). He remains good and faithful even when we cannot see what He is doing.
Finding Our Identity in Christ
As followers of Christ, our identity is rooted in being children of God (John 1:12-13). While infertility may make us feel like broken failures, God says we are His beloved, adopted, redeemed, and reconciled sons and daughters (Ephesians 1-2). We don’t need to prove our worth through our own efforts to have children. God already accepted us because of what Jesus did for us.
In Christ, we are given a purpose greater than ourselves – to know God and make Him known (Matthew 28:18-20, Luke 24:46-49). We can find joy and meaning in fulfilling this mission, with or without biological children. God promises to be with us and bear fruit through us when we abide in Christ (John 15:1-8).
Leaning on God and Community
Battling infertility can be incredibly isolating. But God does not intend for us to walk this road alone. He places us in community, as part of the body of Christ, so that we can bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2). We all need people who will listen, comfort, weep, and pray alongside us in seasons of pain and waiting.
Consider drawing near to Godly mentors who can encourage you with Scripture and point you to hope in Christ. Open up to a small group of close Christian friends who can support you. Seek Christian counseling to process your grief and strengthen your marriage. God works through His body, the Church, to comfort and uphold the weary.
Hope for the Future
Whether or not God chooses to open your womb, He promises hope and purpose for your future. David wrote “hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God” (Psalm 42:11). After years of crying out to God, Hannah prayed a beautiful prayer of praise for how the Lord had lifted her up (1 Samuel 2:1-11). Her hope was renewed in God’s redemption.
If your journey includes adoption or childlessness, God is still with you. He will give you strength, joy, and fruitfulness as you continue to abide in Him and serve others. “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think…be glory” (Ephesians 3:20-21). Despite the heartache, fixing your eyes on Jesus and His promises gives you reason to hope.
Prayers for Those Struggling with Infertility
Here are some sample prayers for those dealing with infertility:
Father God, I confess my disappointment and grief over not yet conceiving. I feel heartbroken month after month. I don’t understand Your timing. But I pray You would comfort me in this trial. Remind me of Your compassion and kindness. Help me to fix my eyes on You, my shelter and strength. Thank You for listening to my cries. I trust that You can make a way, even when I cannot see one. I ask for Your miraculous intervention and healing. Do what only You can do, Lord. But help me wait patiently on Your perfect plan. Give me strength for today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Lord, the constant negative tests fill me with sadness I can’t even express. My heart feels so heavy. I need Your hope to lift this burden, Lord. Renew my spirit with Your promises of life, purpose, and redemption. Help me to release the need to control this timing. Quiet my anxious thoughts with the truth of Your sovereign power and unfailing love for me. I know You see my pain. Come close and comfort me. Speak life and hope to my hurting heart. Thank You for always listening. I trust You fully. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Heavenly Father, I pray for my marriage as we walk this difficult road of infertility. Protect us from resentment and isolation. Strengthen our intimacy – emotional and physical. Keep us dependent on You for fulfillment. Grow our faith and trust in You. Help us lean on one another in vulnerable love. Teach us to extend each other extra grace. Unify our hearts, Lord. Remind us that You are with us, holding us together by Your power and Spirit. Thank You for bringing us comfort, hope, and purpose, during this season of waiting on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Moving Forward in Hope and Faith
Infertility is painful, but God promises we are not alone in the struggle. He will walk with us through every tear, disappointment, and heartache. God is our refuge and strength in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). He collects our tears in a bottle and records them in His book (Psalm 56:8). He is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). We can cast all our anxiety on Him because He cares deeply for us (1 Peter 5:7).
With Christ, there is always reason to hope. He will redeem this season of waiting and use it for our good somehow. He can bless us with spiritual children and purpose when motherhood eludes us. Our value remains rooted in being His beloved sons and daughters. God is sovereign over the womb, and nothing is impossible for Him. He invites us to keep bringing our emptiness to Him so He can fill us with His peace, comfort, and joy.
May His words bring you courage today:
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Romans 15:13)