In so many ways, pregnancy is a waiting game.
You wait for the pregnancy test results (the longest two minutes of your life). You wait for the ultrasound. You wait for the right time to share the news with your partner or family. You wait for their reactions. You wait for the milestones, the growth, the development. All this waiting, building toward the moment when you finally meet the tiny person you’ve been preparing for all this time.
But the waiting of pregnancy can also bring with it a deep sense of weariness. Maybe you’re unsure of your next steps. Maybe you don’t know if you even want to continue your pregnancy. Maybe you feel alone, as if you’re waiting for answers that will never come.
As Christmas approaches, I can’t help but think the season of pregnancy and the season of advent—or the season of waiting—are undeniably connected.
What if the continual waiting of pregnancy has a deeper purpose? What if it points us to a greater reality?
As I read and reflect on Scripture from the Bible, I see a restless waiting that leads up to the birth of Christ. Promises of a coming Savior had echoed from the mouths of prophets for hundreds and hundreds of years. And yet…nothing. Many still believed. But many lost hope.
Will a Savior ever come?
Will things ever get better?
A Thrill of Hope
The Christmas Carol, O Holy Night, contains one of my favorite lines of any written work:
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.
The only way hope can be described as “a thrill” is if our hearts have reached that place of utter weariness where it feels as if we can’t go on.
It’s when we are at our lowest that we find ourselves most desperate for something—or someone—worth hoping for.
In the midst of deep weariness, we can forget that Christmas is not an empty promise of lights, laughter, and happiness, but rather a fulfilled promise of rescue, redemption, and hope.
Yes, this world hurts. Your loss, abandonment, rejection, failure, loneliness, and fears are all real. And honestly, no Christmas party or Hallmark binge-watching sessions or excessive amounts of gifts will change that.
Weary friend, if you find yourself staring at the empty promises of this world’s version of Christmas and feeling let down and alone, I invite you to turn your eyes toward a baby who was born in a dirty stable, grew up, lived a perfect life, died on a cross, and was resurrected—all to offer a better way.
A way that infuses every dark day with a thrill of hope and a deeper meaning.
Whatever you’re going through—whether you’re happily anticipating a pregnancy, or anxiously trying to make a decision about your pregnancy—know this: a Savior has come. He sees you. He’s with you in your suffering. He doesn’t mask your pain with fluorescent blinking lights and bell-ringing Santas. Instead, he can and will infuse your life with light that cannot be unplugged or packed away in storage with trees and trimmings. He offers a purpose that isn’t seasonal, and a love that is never distanced. He offers true hope. A hope that thrills.
And that, weary friend, is a hope worth rejoicing over.
We're Here for You
If you are pregnant, we would love to walk alongside you. Call us today for a free appointment. You can receive a free ultrasound and meet with a staff registered nurse who will help you become fully informed about your options.
You can do this, and we can help.
Mary Holloman
Mary is the Communications Coordinator at The Pregnancy Network.