The Bible is one of the most influential and ancient religious texts in the world. It is also a primary source of guidance on many aspects of life. For those faced with the devastating loss of a pregnancy, the Bible can provide much-needed comfort in a time of grief. Though the Bible does not explicitly address miscarriage, it still speaks to the circumstances of a miscarriage with gentle wisdom.
According to some Biblical scholars, the Bible views the life of children prior to birth as holding profound value. In Psalm 139:13-16, for example, the psalmist expresses awe at God creating them in the womb: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well”. Similarly, the New Testament affirms the sacredness of life prior to birth in the book of Luke. Here, the angel Gabriel encourages Mary to take comfort that Elizabeth had conceived a son in her old age.
Similarly, the Bible, holds the life of children as invaluable and recognizes the profound grief and loss of miscarriages in several passages. Job, for example, had lost his children, saying “Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I shall return,” indicating his profound and personal understanding of death. In Lamentations 3:22-23 the emotions of grapple with the death of a child are described, “ Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Later on, a similar sentiment is seen in Matthew 5:4, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
The Bible does not provide any concrete explanation for the causes of miscarriage, instead it focuses on the hope for God’s grace, healing, and compassion. In Isaiah 66:9 it states, “Shall I bring a baby to the point of birth and not deliver?” This text is a reminder that though the circumstances of miscarriage may not be in our control, God’s loving protection is.
In many cases, miscarriage is accompanied by feelings of guilt and shame in the parents. However, the Bible also speaks to this with comforting words. In Deuteronomy 24:16 there is an allowance for parents to grieve without being blamed or judged. It states, “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”
God’s Everlasting Love
Lacking a concrete explanation for miscarriage, the Bible is instead a source of comfort, mercy, and love in a time of pain. A major theme of the Bible is God’s everlasting love and care for his people. In Isaiah 54:10 God reassures his people of his loving kindness: “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
Christopher Dopler, an eighteen-year pastor of a small church in Kentucky sees this verse as core to understanding how the Bible views miscarriage. “The key here is that it’s God’s unmovable love that is being discussed. This is the underlying factor with which we must wrestle with when faced with a miscarriage. That despite all that we can’t comprehend, God’s love never changes.”
Ultimately, the Bible provides solace and strength to those mourning the loss of a pregnancy. Allowing parents to grieve in their own time, taking comfort in the fact that children have had profound value prior to birth and rejoicing in the promise of the Lord’s everlasting love.
Finding Strength in Biblical Stories
Biblical stories addressed difficult subject matter throughout the Bible. Sarah and Abraham, for example, were both seemingly infertile and struggled with a miscarriage in their journey to receive the blessing of a son. Later, King David experienced the grief of buried children. Of all the stories in the Bible, perhaps one of the most touching is that of Hannah, a barren woman who is convinced of God’s mercy and receives a son as a miracle.
Grief Counselor and Christian author Katrina Rowan cautions people against reading these stories as a sort of roadmap for their own lives. Instead, Rowan encourages readers to look for comfort, stating that Hannah “reminds us to trust in God’s plan rather than our own and to rely on Him during hard times. Understanding these stories help us to understand that our loss has a purpose in His plan.” If anything, these stories can provide solace and strength to those who are grieving loss after miscarriage.
In the end, the loss of a child can be unbearable for any parent. Even in the absence of a concrete explanation of why it happened, the Bible provides comfort, guidance, and assurance that God’s everlasting love carries them through the darkest times.
Experiencing Peace Through Devotion
Devotion is seen as an important source of strength and guidance in the Bible. The faithful are taught to trust in God’s mercy and rely on him during hard times. A study by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences in India concluded that Christian devotion has been a significant source of comfort for those enduring pregnancy loss. Participants of the study found that the elements of faith, surrender, and trust in the presence of God resulted in peace, acceptance and resilience.
The researchers believe that prayer, meditation, scripture reading, and fellowship are key components to find peace and acceptance. “We found that prayer not only helped the participants to gain comfort and acceptance, but also brought them a sense of hope for their suffering,” said Dr. Maria Paiva, the head researcher of the study.
There are endless variations of Christian devotion, but each one can give victims solace from their grief. For those facing pregnancy loss, the Bible provides gentle guidance to foster peace and resilience in hard times.
Recieving Comfort From Others
In the face of pregnancy loss, the Bible highlights the importance of reaching out to close friends and family for support. In the book of Job, for example, Job’s friends came to just sit with him rather than offering solutions or comfort. This showed Job that even in his darkest moments he was not alone.
Jamie Tomowski, senior psychotherapist at the Florida Institute of Mental Health encourages clients to reach out to friends and families, often citing the story of Job as an example. “In times of immense grief it can be hard to lean into our support systems. Job’s friends remind us that oftentimes, the most important work that our support systems can do is to be present with us, to listen, and to offer a moment of solidarity.”
Experiencing miscarriage is an incredibly difficult and emotionally complex time. The Bible is clear that parents should reach out and ask for solace and understanding. The Bible is a source of strength and comfort in times of extreme sorrow and a reminder that no one is ever alone in times of grief.
Sustaining Hope
Losing a child through miscarriage can be an incredibly difficult experience. For parents facing this type of loss, the bible speaks to the feelings of loss, helplessness, and hopelessness.
Theologian and University of Oxford professor Katelyn Jones believes that two major messages that the Bible offers to help sustain hope during a miscarriage are suffering and sorrow and the power of redemption. Jones has stated “The Biblical narratives are full of examples of God’s redemptive power even in the midst of great suffering. Despite those suffering, there is still the promise of hope and redemption because of God’s mercy and grace.”
Christians are often reminded of this in the holiday of Easter– resurrection, rebirth, and redemption. The Bible is full of stories that show God’s redemptive power even in the face of extreme sorrow and grief.
Many theologians agree that, yes, the Bible speaks to the incredibly difficult experience of miscarriage. No explanation for why these events occur is given, but ultimate hope is provided in the form of the power of God’s mercy and redemption.
