GIants on the Battlefield of Loss

Giants On The Battlefield of Loss

Everybody loves the story of David and Goliath. The giant David faced was obvious. Goliath seemed to be an insurmountable foe. But what are your giants?

Oh, your giants are there, and they are probably many! Perhaps you have had much experience on the battlefield of infertility or pregnancy loss. You’re a seasoned warrior in a battle you never intended to fight. You’ve done all you know to do to ensure success this time. But time after time, your giant stands in the way and grasps victory from your hands. Perhaps you’ve survived longer and longer each time, butit’s never been long enough for your baby to survive. Do you tremble at the thought of trying to conceive again because you simply don’t think you can survive another disappointment? The giant of Fear is threatening to destroy you. Come against the giant of Fear in the Name of the Lord! Isaiah 9:6 is your armory, where your weapon can be found! And His Name will be called…Prince of Peace. “I come against the giant of Fear in the Name of the Prince of Peace!”

Have friends and family become so uncomfortable by your tears that they have simply stopped coming around or have the invitations to family gathering suddenly disappeared? Are the giants of Loneliness and Isolation tormenting you and screaming out your name so loudly that you have begun to turn away from those you love? Come against the giants of Loneliness and Isolation with the Name of the Friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). Are you collapsing at the feet of the giant called Weakness? Don’t feel like you’re strong enough to last for the duration of the conflict? Defeat the giant called Weakness with the Name of the Lord found Isaiah 26:4! You’ll see the giant of Weakness bow its knee to the Lord Jehovah, our Everlasting Strength!

But wait! There’s a giant that seems to scream more loudly and threateningly than all the rest. What about the mighty giant of Sorrow? It’s probably the largest and most powerful giant on the battlefields of miscarriage and infertility. It has defeated you time after time after time. No weapon you’ve brandished against it has accomplished much. Time after time, Sorrow comes against you. Time after time, you dissolve into a pile of tears and pain. Since you’ve begun the quest for parenthood, your heart has been blindsided with pain you never saw coming. Is there a standard to raise against this powerful warrior?

Take heart, hurting friend. Reach back into your quiver and pull out a mighty weapon! It’s found in Psalm 3:1-3:

“O LORD, how my adversaries have increased! Many are rising up against me. Many are saying of my soul, ‘There is no deliverance for him in God,’ But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head.”

Here, the same David who fought with Goliath is calling out to God at another point of conflict in his life. He’s telling God how his adversaries have increased and how so many are rising up against him that people are saying there is no help for him. Sound familiar? “I don’t guess they’ll ever get over losing that baby!” “I guess I’ll never be a grandparent!” The giant of Sorrow takes another step toward you. “The pain is so deep! The sadness is so profound! I’ll never be truly happy again!” Sorrow throws its head back and laughs at your pain!

But just as David did in the valley of Elah, join all the righteous warriors of the centuries and proclaim to the giant of Sorrow that God is a shield about you! Any fiery darts are forever extinguished when God Himself is your Shield! You may just hear Sorrow begin to take a step back! That’s not all! Is your head bowed down with despair and you can hardly lift your face to carry on with your day? Verse 3 says He is your glory and the Lifter of your Head! Come against the giant of Sorrow with the Name of God Almighty, your Shield! God Almighty, your Glory! God Almighty, the Lifter of your Head! The thundering you hear is the giant of Sorrow falling at your feet for all the armies of the world to see!


Adapted from When Love & Sorrow Embrace: The Sufficiency of God’s Grace Through the Heartache of Miscarriage, (c) 2006 Beth Forbus.