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Note: This post was written as part of the Infertility Bible Study series. If you’d prefer to read it on the free downloadable ebook, click here.
A reading from Luke 10:38-42:
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
[Luke 10: 38-42, NIV]
This is such a classic Bible story and Bible study topic for women…maybe even to the point that you skimmed it, thinking you already know the lesson and have heard it a million times before. But have you ever thought about how this Mary/Martha story relates to your struggle with infertility?
How many things have you tried to improve your fertility? How many google searches have you done to try to figure out what was wrong with you? How often have you thought I’ve tried everything? How annoyed and distracted are you by all of “the preparations that have to be made” so that you can get pregnant?
Are you still sitting at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he says?
I’m not saying it’s wrong to do things to try to increase your fertility. But I am saying this: When we get to the point that we’re worried, upset, and distracted by all of the things we need to do to get pregnant, we start to miss the point. We cease to seek God and become obsessed with finding answers on our own. We miss the one thing needed, and we miss it when God shows up at our door.
I have to imagine that Martha loved the Lord; the Bible says specifically that Martha opened up her home to the Lord, not Mary. But somehow, in the short amount of time between when she opened up her house to Him and He started teaching, she got distracted. And she missed her opportunity to hear Jesus’ teaching.
Are you too distracted? Are you missing Jesus’ teaching?
This week, stop trying everything to get pregnant. Take a break. Focus on God as much as you’ve been focusing on your fertility. No googling how to improve fertility or searching Pinterest for early pregnancy signs. Instead, when you’re tempted to do that — listen to some Christian music, do a Bible study, or read a devotional — anything to remind you of the one thing needed.
Prayer: God, help me to rest in you today. Free me from feeling like I need to try everything; remind me that you are the one thing I need. Amen.
Scripture to memorize: Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
Song for the way to work: Have your Way by Britt Nicole
Suggested scripture readings for the week:
Matthew 6:19-34
Psalm 4:1-8
Matthew 11:25-30
Psalm 127:1-2
Hebrews 4:1-11
Click to return to the Infertility Bible Study Series.
