Finding Hope When Pregnancy Loss or Postnatal Challenges Are ExpectedNäide

I don’t know about you, but I love the book of Psalms. It’s the place I go back to time and time again as I make my way through life. When I was younger, before being hit with the big storms of life, I gravitated towards the psalms of praise, but I’m so grateful that the Lord included the psalms of lament, those cries of distress that so many of us can relate to. Somehow it brings comfort to know that others who have gone before me were just as desperate for the Lord to speak, to comfort, and to act, such as the psalmist Asaph in Psalm 77:1-3:

I cried out to God for help;
I cried out to God to hear me.
When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
at night I stretched out untiring hands,
and I would not be comforted.

I remembered you, God, and I groaned;
I meditated, and my spirit grew faint.

And yet these psalms don’t stop at lament. They invariably move towards a recognition of the Lord’s past faithfulness, as we see a few verses later in Psalm 77, “I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago,” (vs. 11) and then culminate in exclamations of praise and joy.

To you, Lord, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy…
Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me;
Lord, be my help.”

You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.
Lord my God, I will praise you forever. (Psalm 30:8, 10-12)

This is the same path that I travelled on—from desperation and sorrow, to remembrance, and then finally to joy—and it’s a path that you may find yourself on as well though it may not yet be apparent. Today you may find yourself crying out for help, wondering if there’s hope, questioning if God still cares, and doubting if you could ever again sing God’s praises. That’s perfectly okay. Be reassured knowing that “[t]he Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit,” (Psalm 34:18).

I encourage you, however—despite the sorrow—to remind yourself of the ways that the Lord has been faithful to you in the past. Read some psalms and remind yourself of His character (see Psalm 103), His faithful deeds (see Psalm 135 & 136), and His power (see Psalm 40 & 91). As you read the truth and instruct your mind, I pray that you will be filled with hope, even if it’s just a faint glimmer. Though it may be a long time in coming, I pray that you will find comfort in the Lord as you bathe your soul in His Word until the day that your heart begins to sing again.

Questions:

What is one psalm that has brought you comfort today and why?

What step of the journey do you find yourself on today—sorrow, remembrance, or joy?

Prayer:

Dear Lord, thank you that You understand my sorrows and You are near to me even as my heart breaks. Please lift me out of the pit and set my feet upon the rock of Jesus. Help me to put my trust in You. Amen.