Infertility and Suffering

Last updated on: July 14, 2011 at 5:41 pm by Amy Julia Becker

Infertility and Suffering 2011-07-14T17:41:31-04:00 Amy Julia Becker

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My friend Ellen Painter Dollar has a guest post on her blog, Choices that Matter: “Beating on the Chest of God: Christian Responses to Infertility and Suffering.” It’s a poignant and helpful reflection upon what not to say to someone who is dealing with the pain of infertility in particular, and even more so an honest look at how Christians can suffer with integrity and honesty before God. I’d like to quote the whole essay in full, but for now I’ll give you a glimpse of the wisdom offered in this post, first on suffering in general:

Suffering can be a rich and wondrous place in which to encounter God. But in a culture like ours, one that has even permeated the church, we cannot suffer. In a culture that praises science, medicine, and healing (and according to the CDC prescribes more antidepressants than any other drug), we feel compelled to quickly find a remedy because suffering is too uncomfortable, for the sufferer and for those around her. We are accustomed to learning about God’s goodness through answered prayers and blessings that bring joy. We know God loves us when he lifts our burden and heals our pain. To suffer is to feel God’s absence.

But I’ve learned the most about God’s love in a place of suffering. Consider the place where God’s love for the world is brought into sharpest focus: at the cross of Christ, the place of ultimate suffering and brokenness. The shadow of the cross can be a powerful place to meet a God we usually seek under rainbows and blue skies. I’ve come to believe that when we suffer, we are closest to the heart of God.

And also as it relates to infertility in particular:

My core question is this: If those of us who face the anguish of infertility were given the cultural and theological space to inhabit our suffering, to beat upon the chest of God, if we were encouraged to embrace suffering as a spiritual gift, and if our brothers and sisters in Christ would weep and scream and sit in silent exhaustion with us, rather than admonish us to simple faith and easy joy, would that change the way we approach reproductive technologies? If we felt free to suffer, would we perhaps feel less compelled to resolve our infertility through technological means?

To read more, click here.

reproductive technology

suffering

Previous Post

July 14, 2011

Explaining Judgment to a Two-Year-Old, and to Myself

Next Post

July 15, 2011 Babies Cry to Tell us Something, and Other Lessons in Communication

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Articles Books Disability Down Syndrome Faith family Perfectly Human Uncategorized

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 September 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz