Hearts in Healing

Blessing in Disguise

It was about 2 ½ minutes after the double-lines revealed themselves on the pregnancy test, after the initial unintelligible words of joy erupted from my mouth, and slight disbelief subsided, when an innate, maternally instinctive thought crossed my mind – “what if there’s something wrong with this baby?”

I had battled anxiety through my teens and twenties and pushed this notion away, categorizing it as my well-known enemy. NO – this was a time to celebrate, not worry about something there was no possible answer to at the moment. Yet the thought repeatedly slithered back into my mind as I shared the jubilant news of pregnancy with my husband Jim, our parents, family, and friends. Like a pesky weed with unreachable roots, this thought surfaced on and off for the first 22 weeks of my pregnancy and robbed the beautiful fruit of elation I should have been enjoying.

I’m now thankful for that early-on consideration, which somehow lessened the horrendous shock of that fateful ultrasound appointment that lie ahead. Now I know that little notion was from God, and not my own anxiety-driven imagination. It was a tool that forced me to imagine my life in a different way than I was originally hoping it would turn out. I imagined having a disabled child. God forced me to think about and to pray through this, and come to a somewhat….peace…of understanding that this was a possibility, and I could survive it.

What concern do you have that you want to bury? Some concerns are completely unfounded and born simply from anxiety. But maybe God has given a particular notion to you as a tool…a blessing in disguise. Through prayer and holding onto His truth and promises, we can sort out our anxieties to determine what thoughts are God-inspired.

There is no time like the present to pray through your anxieties. I encourage you to ask God for clarity, wisdom and guidance. Listen to Him speaking to your heart and receive His instruction on how to handle your concern. He promises to transform your fears into confidence.

“So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with My righteous hand.”

Isaiah 41:10, NIV

Still your mind. Listen for the Lord. Write your prayer and the wisdom that God is speaking into your heart as you listen for his counseling.