“The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease.” LAMENTATIONS 3:22

Letting Go of Expectations Lam 3:19-24

Learning you are expecting a baby can be a shock, even for couples who are praying for a child! The news brings joy, anxiety, anticipation . . . and often nausea. Fears about the health and well-being of a child add another layer of complexity to life. There are no rules on how to respond to the news that the child shows signs of a potential disability. Parents’ dreams for their family can be quickly uprooted with the unexpected and dreaded news that their child has special needs.

If you are that expectant or new parent, you will naturally have mixed feelings at first. The joy of having a new baby can become mingled with worries over health issues, finances, and fears of not knowing how to care for your own child. Family celebrations may be diminished as everyone braces for what’s ahead. Emotions bounce back and forth from overjoyed to overwhelmed. Questions arise. Lament looms. Thoughts swirl: Why are things so hard for my child? For my family? For me? Why do I feel so abandoned, crushed, and forgotten?

Some say extended suffering is a matter of trusting God and never questioning what comes our way. The book of Lamentations suggests otherwise. God can handle our struggles and our sadness. Jeremiah laid bare his emotions before the Lord. He begged God to intervene and spare his people; we can do the same. When faced with great pain and isolation, even Jesus said, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine” (Luke 22:42). This is not lip service; this is Jesus pleading that he would rather not experience the suffering that lay ahead. Equally important is Jesus’ clear surrender, all the way to the end: “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” (Luke 23:46).

So go ahead—shout, cry out, lament. Lay your child and your burdens at the foot of the cross, trusting that God hears and that his love and mercy will begin afresh each morning.